In The Hands of Jesus

Before the day had passed, they saw the help of Jesus, and that formed them into beautiful stones in His temple.

The Word of God speaks of the miracle of the fish and the bread.

This can be seen from two sides, and the Holy Spirit helped me to understand a deeper reality. To this day we can think that He simply fed the poor and the needy, but it was far more than that alone.

He completed the miracle, and somewhere in the not-too-distant future there would be a young child growing up, knowing that he had seen with his own eyes the miracle of mercy and grace. The mother who sent him away with his day’s food found that it became enough for five thousand people.

How?

“I gave it away.”

The food she prepared was simply a day’s food, or what we would call a lunch. But when Jesus took hold of that portion, He made it available for thousands upon thousands to testify of this miracle.

A young child’s heart was formed within moments by witnessing the miracle of multiplication—or was it that Christ revealed Himself to them?

He showed them the power of thanksgiving because He Himself is the Bread of Life. He fed the need deep within the innermost being. They came looking for bread, but the Father gave them the true Bread of Life. Only Christ can fill the sanctuary of the hungry heart. The hidden man of the heart is nourished by His presence, strengthened by His Word, and transformed by His Spirit.

“He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

How did this happen? I heard there were even leftovers.

Yes, indeed. Truth prevails, and the search for approval quietly fell away from the disciples as they witnessed the heart of Jesus Christ.

Jesus had compassion on them. He saw their deeper needs before anyone else did.

Compassion always comes before provision in the Kingdom of God.

The disciples saw the lack. They counted five loaves and two fish and concluded that it was impossible.

Tell me how beautiful this is.

Jesus whisper to my heart,

“I never begin with what is missing, but with what is surrendered.”

It all started when the small offering of a young boy was placed into the hands of the Son of God (John 6:9).

Can we do the same?

His offering seemed insignificant among the thousands in need, but what changed within all who witnessed it? Their understanding changed. Their small became a more-than-enough seed because it was surrendered into the hands of Jesus.

Loaves of bread, stacks of fish, and more than enough that everyone might eat became the testimony of that young boy’s life.

“My lunch became a powerful seed in the hands of Jesus.”

How many times do we think our gifts, our help, our prayers, or even our faith are too small? Yet I have learned that the very moment we surrender them unto Jesus, He multiplies them beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine. Heaven has never measured our offering by its size, but by the surrendering heart with which it is given.

What is very important to see is this specific building stone. Surrender needs to be formed in the heart of every believer if we are to become perfectly fitted stones in the temple of God. Every surrendered heart becomes another living stone that God carefully places into His holy dwelling place. He is not merely building individuals; He is building His house.

They saw—or should I rather say, they became witnesses of—the gentleness and kindness of Jesus Christ. They had to witness the order of the miracle for themselves before they could become faithful witnesses of His care and His love.

Jesus took the bread.

He gave thanks to His heavenly Father.

He broke it.

Then He gave it to the disciples to distribute.

What a beautiful order.

Receiving.

Thanksgiving.

Brokenness.

Giving.

As much as we all want to run away from brokenness, or perhaps pretend in moments of pride that we have none, we are all human, and we all have needs. Yet brokenness in God’s hands is never wasted.

The bread was broken, and people were fed.

Many times God is able to use us all precisely because we have learned compassion through our own journey. We know what it feels like to be hungry, afraid, uncertain, in desperate need, rejected, or broken. Suddenly our wounds become places where His grace begins to flow.

Stand and see for yourself this day.

The days of surrender, thanksgiving, and sharing will change everything for you and me.

Believe that God is not a distant God. He hears the hidden cry of your heart. Nothing escapes His attention. The whisper that no one else hears is heard clearly by your heavenly Father.

We witnessed something very similar this morning, almost like the miracle of the bread and the fish.

A young girl walked up to us in a coffee shop and said,

“Please, can you speak to my friend? She is in desperate need.”

They both worked in the coffee shop.

Her norther friend was stranded at an airport in the United States. She is a young girl from a very small town in South Africa.

Somehow she did not see, and the job that had been offered to her did not work out as she had hoped. Brave enough she got out. Fear gripped her heart as she sat in the airport throughout the night, only to discover that she could not board her flight because her ticket could not be changed, and the cost of getting home was far beyond her reach.

I can only imagine the fear, the exhaustion, and the hidden cries rising from deep within her heart. Text messages travelled back and forth as her young friends did everything they could to find a way to bring her safely home.

We simply spoke together and said,

“That’s alright. God protected her. Let us do the math’s, pray and ask Jesus to help us to always count our blessings this day.”

Life is not only about what I did right, but also how I learned from the wrong.

Trust in the Lord with all you heart and do not lean on your own understandings.

Within hours she was on a flight from New York City to Washington, and the very same night she boarded another flight home.

Who would have said this long flight was waisted?

No.

This became a life-changing journey for a young girl and for her friends who witnessed the kindness and faithfulness of Jesus Christ, who carried what they could not carry themselves. Yes, even our mistakes.

I gently said,

“Warn your friend. The departure gates often change. She must pay close attention to the gate. Keep your eyes on the gate.”

Before we know it, the eternal Gate opens, and we discover that the glory of God  quietly appeared within our own lives this day. Jesus Himself said, “I am the door.” Every earthly gate may change, but the Gate who is Christ never changes. Those who keep their eyes upon Him will never be lost.

Once again the order of Melchizedek quietly spoke to my heart. We all die once, but in Christ we live forever.

The Holy of Holies appeared within a young girl’s heart.

She wept on that flight and whispered softly,

“Thank You, Jesus. You heard my cry.”

Heaven touched earth that day.

“This entire building is under construction and is continually growing under His supervision until it rises up completed as a holy temple of the Lord Himself.” (Ephesians 2:21)

This means that God is transforming each one of us into His Holy of Holies, His dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Every miracle He performs is not only about changing our circumstances, but about shaping the hidden man of the heart into a living sanctuary where Christ Himself is at home.

This is the miracle of simply being His hands and His feet.

This is the miracle of surrendering all into His hands.

And perhaps that is the greatest miracle of all—not merely that bread multiplied or that a young girl found her way home—but that ordinary people discovered that when everything is placed into the hands of Jesus, He reveals Himself. Hearts are formed, faith is strengthened, Christ is seen, and living stones are formed for His eternal temple. That miracle continues to this very day.

When Christ dwells within the hidden person of the heart, the deepest hunger of the human soul will find true satisfaction - Christ in me, the hope of glory.

So thankful I am today and thank you to you all who are part of our journey.

To God our heavenly Father – Thank You Abba, for so much mercy and grace.

Retah and family.