When 7 Equals 5,000
Good morning, Immanuel. Ever wonder if you are giving enough to the Lord’s work? Fret not and consider what Jesus can do with little!
“They said to him, ‘We have only five loaves here and two fish’” (Matthew 14:7).
If you are like me, you wonder if you are giving enough to the Lord’s work. This is especially pressing right now as Immanuel is in the home stretch of our efforts to buy our current church home. Our need is great; my gift feels small, and I wonder if it is enough. But when I read the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, it encourages me hugely. (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:1-14)
In this story we find a crowd in a desolate place with no means to provide for themselves, and Jesus’s heart goes out to them. His disciples find a young boy with five loaves of bread and two small fish who is willing to share them as far as they will go. Now, notice four things about this gift.
It is a small gift.
The disciples even ask, “What are they for so many?” How far will this go? That’s how I feel about my capacity to give. It feels small in the face of such a great need.
It is a trusting gift.
The boy handed over what he had for himself to Jesus. He trusted that Jesus would use it well. This boy was one of very few people in that crowd who had planned ahead to take care of himself. He would have been within his rights to hold on to that bread and fish and be in good shape, yet he was willing to give that carefully prepared meal to Jesus.
It was a total gift.
He gave all he could give. And he was only willing to do this because he trusted in Jesus. He did not hedge his bet or hold back. He put it all in Jesus’ hands.
It was a multiplied gift.
Somehow, in the power and word of Jesus, seven servings became 5,000. That small gift, given in total trust, was not enough when handed to Jesus but became enough because it was handed to Him. That is how Jesus works when we are willing to trust him completely with our seemingly small gifts. He makes them enough.
So let’s give what we can, even if it is seemingly small. Let’s trust Jesus with it all. And let’s count on him to make it enough to care for his church.
We have an unrepeatable opportunity to secure a long-term home in Nashville.
Our current premises on 4301 Charlotte Ave have been our home for the past decade, and this site is for sale for the first time since the early 1900s. We're eager to purchase it. Our landlord has told us they plan to accept an offer from another party for $15.5m. Per the terms of our lease that means we have 60 days to make a matching offer. This means we must have raised $15-16m by the end of July. Learn more about this opportunity at our newly updated Tenth Generation Website.
As we continue seeking the Lord for a long-term home in Nashville, join us in praying for 60 days. God loves to hear and answer our prayers. Listen now on the Immanuel Podcast. You may also want to join us in person every Friday morning at Immanuel from 6 to 7 a.m. in the cafe.
