God's Math

God’s Math How many loaves do you have? Jesus asked. “ Seven,” they replied, “ and a few small fish.” Matthew 15 v 32 Jesus had compassion on the hungry crowd that had followed him to a remote place on the mountain side. Along with compassion, He had faith that there would be enough to feed the multitude. He could see into the invisible realms with His eye of faith. He did not even pray for the multiplication of the seven loaves and few fish. He just gave thanks, broke the bread and gave it to the disciples to distribute. Jesus could do this confidently as He knew there was no limit to God’s grace and power. A small boy’s lunch was enough to feed many adults. Jesus did not materialise the bread and fish. He looked for what is available and then blessed it. There was a balance or mix of the natural and the supernatural, the physical and the spiritual. The disciples could only see the inadequacy of resources and the limitations of their circumstances that they were in a remote place and that the crowd was large. After the crowd had eaten and were fully satisfied, there were seven basketfuls of broken pieces. They had much more at the end than when they started. We too as believers should not be unduly concerned about what we do not have. Instead, we should focus on what the Lord has given us, be thankful for these and ask the Lord to bless it. Even if a man has plenty of resources but does not have the blessing of the Lord, it will turn out to be inadequate. Last evening a breaking news revealed that the head of the automobile division of India’s leading corporate empire had apparently committed suicide by falling off the 22nd floor of a five star hotel in Bangkok. He had been given plenty –an abundance of ability, resources, finances, privileges, opportunities but it was found to be not enough to satisfy even one man. In contrast, if we have a few resources with the blessing of the Lord, it will prove more than enough not just for us but for the people we are called to serve. God is the infinite source of our resources. Like Jesus He knows our need and knows how best to fulfil it. We need only to open our eye of faith and look into the invisible realm of His provision. We need to thank Him for whatever He has given us and ask Him to bless it to satisfy our need. By our faith we call into being that which is not as if it were. God’s math is multiplication and addition while satan’s math is division and substraction. Truly, man does not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Once the words of blessing and thanksgiving proceeded from the mouth of Jesus, the seven loaves and fish began to multiply. Plenty of resources, money or food does not satisfy us but the Word of God can satisfy us and also multiply our resources. Once we intake the Word, word by word, every moment will be blessed, every need will be met in a mix of the natural and the supernatural, the physical and the spiritual, the logical and the miraculous. Prateep V Philip