In the many times I've read about the little boy who shared his lunch with Jesus and then the entire crowd, because Jesus miraculously multiplied the food, I've never given much thought to the little boy. His appearance is brief and unheralded. Out of the four gospel accounts of the story, only one mentions the boy at all.
Midday Connection, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute, offers their radio broadcast on podcast, so I always download it and listen at my leisure. Recently, I found them discussing the book Daily Seeds from Women Who Walk in Faith. I'm going to get this book for 2009. It contains brief, daily Bible studies, written by popular Christian authors, for days when you want a quick study time or a little pick me up in the middle of the day.
One reading is by Robin Chaddock. She discusses the five loaves and two fish story, then she focuses on Luke 9:16, 17 where Christ had multiplied the food, divided it out and gave it to the disciples to distribute. Chaddock compares the boy's bagged lunch to the unique gifts God gives each of us to use as He specifies, like He gave the disciples the food to be used as he instructed. In the study, Chaddock challenges us with this question: What is in your lunch bag?
"The lunch bag that you have right now, nothing more, nothing less. You are in charge of knowing what you have and God is in charge of distribution."
I love that! I never thought of my spiritual gifts, worldly possessions or my God-given blessings as my "lunch bag." The parallels are amazing. We were created in a particular fashion to be blessed and transformed by God through Christ and then utilized for particular assignments in our surroundings. Let that give you a boost, a little jump-start to your day. Have a blessed day.
Valerie Sliker reads extensively and relies on her personal study times to make her presentable in public every day. She stands amazed and surprised when God transforms her lunch bag of hodge-podge oddities into something useful, which you can read about on her blog, I Can Only Imagine. Her literal lunch bag usually consists of something chocolate.
Loading ...
I really like the question "What's in your lunch bag?"
I've preached on this lesson before and challenged people to offer who they are and what they've been given into Jesus' hands. But I think the question is a good one….. because we often don't really know what's in our lunch bag– what it is that God has made us and given us — we feel like we don't have much to give.
Of course that's the point, isn't it……. the little boy didn't have much in the face of the need, but in God's hands, miraculously, it is enough and more.
So asking what's in our lunch bag is asking us to explore our gifts, our experiences, that could be offered up.
Thanks for the question and your reflections.
Oh my heavenly days! Imagine my joy when I got word through Lori Neff at Moody that you had posted this on your blog, Valerie! I have a weekly e-votional that I send out called "Soul Snacks for Zesty Living" and I'll be sure to post a link to your beautiful blog in my next installment! Thank you so much for liking this little analogy! I'm just tickled beyond belief! Blessings to you in your corner of the vineyard, Valerie!