"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and five fish, but what are these for so many people?" John 6:9
When we look at life through our natural eyes instead of through spiritual eyes we only see natural results instead of supernatural acts of God. In the sixth chapter of John we see a hungry crowd of approximately 5,000 people, not including women and children. (Matthew 14:21)
Jesus asked His disciples where they could buy bread for them to eat? He was testing them, scriptures says. Prior to this they had been observing Him performing miracles on those who were sick. The disciples leaned to their own understanding and looked for answers in the natural realm.
Andrew brings a lad before them who has five barley loaves, which was the food for common people, and two fish.
." Here is all we have, but what is this for so great a crowd?"
Jesus takes the food, gives thanks, and feeds the crowd til they are full, and then tells his disciples to gather the leftover fragments that nothing will be lost.
Many times in life we are faced with needs much greater than we have provision for, whether financial, physical, emotional, or mental. What I have learned from personal experience is when I give all I have to Jesus, and pray for the need to be met He answers.
For example, the majority of long distance races I have competed in and finished successfully are because of prayer and faith. Many times I was undertrained, exhausted from over training, or still in the process of healing from injuries. I was attempting goals I knew full well left to myself would not happen. I would approach race day praying,
"Lord, I give You the miles I am capable of in myself. I will give You every bit of the strength within me. Take all I have as you did the fish and the loaves, and multiply it, and enable me to complete the task before me. I step up to this starting line trusting in Your promises and Your love for me."
Over and over I have come across the finish line elated to find Him faithful and merciful to His child. I step out in faith putting my trust in Him and who He is, rather than focusing who and what I am capable of. He makes me what I am not. I suppose that is why I love running so much, because I never run alone. It is something the Lord and I always do together. The victories mean so much more as I share intimate moments of rejoicing with my Saviour who has truly become my all in all.
May I encourage you to pray for eyes to see more in the spirit than the natural. We are not to live according to our flesh, but according to the Spirit of the living God who lives inside of each of us who are His. We are all running the long distance race of life. We will all cross a finish line. It is accomplished one step at a time. Let us adhere the words in Hebrews 12:1-2:
"…let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us fixing our eyes in Jesus , the author and perfecter of our faith…
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
Another reason I love running so much are the gifts He lays before my path on every run. These photos were taken on a morning run from home this week.
