Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
John 6:8,9
Jesus Can Use Any Means
Daily Devotion – August 4, 2021
Devotion based on John 6:8,9
See series: Devotions
“Is it a keeper?” If your fishing partner has to ask you that about the size of the perch that you’re holding up to the measuring tape, the answer is usually, “No.” If it’s not obvious, it’s likely not a “keeper.” And yet, fishermen like to brag about the size of their catch, no matter how small they are.
Which is why I find it interesting that when fisherman Andrew presented one little boy’s lunch as the disciples were searching for food to feed the hungry crowd, Andrew didn’t just comment on the quantity of fish; he also commented on the size of the fish. “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish.”
Have you ever said or felt something similar when you look at God’s providence in your life? You notice the number of gifts he provides, but you complain about the quantity or the size of those gifts. Your “five loaves and two fish” may be that you have a job, but you quickly qualify it by commenting on the “smallness” of that job, “Yeah, I’ve got a job, but it’s going nowhere.” Or maybe your “small fish” concerns your resident, “Yeah, I’ve got a house, but it’s small and needs a lot of work.” Or, “Yeah, I have my health, but my strength is nothing compared to what it used to be.”
What is the “small” fish in your life? When you throw those fish back because they’re not keepers in your eyes, remember what our God can do with “small” fish. He once used the smallest son of Jesse to become the greatest king in the history of his people. He once used a humble girl from the small town of Nazareth to be the mother of God. Look at Jesus himself. To the rest of the world, he looked like a small fish in a big pond of prophets. Yet, in reality, he was the only “keeper” when it came to be our Savior.
The means that God uses to provide for our lives may seem small. But be assured, nothing is small when those means are in the hands of our loving God.
Prayer:
Lord, give me confidence that no gift is small when it is used by you. Amen.
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