By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Matthew 14:17-20 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over."_ - NIV
It was a remote place. It was getting late. Multitudes had followed Jesus. The disciples told Jesus to send them away to go and find food for themselves. Jesus felt He couldn’t just send them away like that. He wanted to feed them. But the five loaves of bread and two fish was nothing to suffice, according to human logic. Jesus received it, gave thanks to God and gave it out. It multiplied to feed five thousand men, besides women and children with twelve basketfuls remaining.
King Jehoshaphat was besieged by a vast army. He was unprepared and greatly feared. He turned to God Who gave him a unique strategy to sing and give thanks to the Lord as they went to face the enemy in the battlefield. God intervened and defeated their enemies thoroughly (2 Chronicles 20). Giving thanks allows God to work on our behalf. It is an acknowledgement of our limited abilities, and trust in God to intervene on our behalf.
Sometimes in life, we seem to be hanging on a thread, have so little, pushed to a corner and feel so helpless. When we bring what seems like nothing, and our helpless state to God in thanks, we invite Him to intervene and help us. And God does it so powerfully that it can overwhelm our imaginations. Several stories in the Bible and contemporary human experiences of those who trusted God testify to this. He calls us to bring them to Him with thanksgiving in our hearts. And watch to see what He can do._
2 Chronicles 20:21-22 "After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated."_
Shalom children of God.