So Simple, So Profound

This time, God made sure I heard his message. He repeated it twice.

The first time came during a conversation in the taxi cab as my husband and I drove to the Galt House Hotel where the once every four years Navigator National Conference was being held.

During the short commute, our friend divulged to us his communication with one of his supervisors as he started a new job. He compared his contribution to the job to the account of the feeding of the five thousand in the New Testament. Like the young boy who offered his five loaves and two fish to feed the crowd, our friend said, I communicated I could only bring what I had.

The second time came two days later as I listened to the speaker in one of the plenary sessions; Gary Haugen the President of the International Justice Mission also based his message on the feeding of the five thousand. (IJM is a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression). IJM deals with huge overwhelming problems. The types of issues that make me think how can I possibly make a difference?  Gary challenged us to bring what we have; then he said Jesus takes responsibility for the miracle. The ah-ha moment.

Of course; I know that. But this time I heard. In recent years as I skimmed that passage – I didn’t need to read it, I knew what it said – I was doing just that, skimming or reading,  not listening for the voice of God. And that makes all the difference.

Jesus takes responsibility for the miracle. It’s a steep learning curve for me. Jesus – not those with decision making powers; not doctors; not worldly authorities; not, not, not – Jesus takes responsblity for the miracle.

There is a new freedom in praying.

There is a new expectation about circumstances.

There is a new peace that passes all understanding.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,”

Ephesians 3:20