Monday, May 29, 2006
Good for me - Amy Grant
"Jonnie! Just wait for a minute!"
"Aw, mom. They have already left..."
"They are not far away. Knowing u, u'll catch up wif them in no time".
Jonnie sulks. "Would you please hurry up?"
Mom laughs. Jonnie can look so cute when he sulks. "Patience, my dear, is a virtue. And you dun wan me to mess up your lunch, do you?"
"But the others din pack anything!", Jonnie whines. "They all just left with their dads and older brothers."
"Then they can all starve!"
Mom bite her lip immediately after she said that. That din come out right.
Jonnie fidgets quietly as Mom finishes packing the 5 loaves of barley bread and 2 small fishes.
"There you go, my dear."
Jonnie reaches out to grab the packed lunch when Mom instinctively pulls back - she knew the moment he gets his hands on it, he'll be gone in a flash.
"Just one more thing, Jonnie".
"Aw... wat now???"
"Jonnie, i want you to listen to me".
That tone that Mom used always works. Jonnie knew that Mom was gonna say something important and he'd listen carefully.
"This is your lunch. It's not much but if you have to, you'll..."
"Share it with others! Yes, mom. You always taught me that!"
Mom smiled. She hands him the food.
"I love you, darling".
Jonnie turns round even as he's running away.
"Love you too, mom!"
Mom smiles and returns back to her chores.
The speaker last nite spoke on the feeding of the 5 thousand. you can read the passage here. He was saying that when the little boy's mom prepared her son's lunch that day, she would not in her wildest imagination guessed that around 2000 years later, a preacher in the town of Colchester will be talking about the very same boy!
We dun really know much about the boy. We din even know whether it was him who volunteered his lunch to Andrew or was it Andrew who asked him for it. We dun know wat was going on in his mind. The cynical part in me also questions whether he kept some back for himself (perhaps mom packed 10 loaves and 8 fishes???).
But i would like to think that the above narrative is close to wat really took place that day! :-)
In any event, the lesson is clear - are we willing to give wat we have to the Lord? Are are we too ashamed? 5 loaves and 2 fishes? You gotta be kidding!!!! Do we think that wat we have to offer is not good enuf, insufficient, faulty?
It's times like these when we will have to come wif child-like faith. The speaker said that the "practical man" is a curse to the church today. I may not agree wif that sentence but i understand where he is coming from. Too often, we think too much and due to practical reasons, we refrain from doing certain things. But is that right?
If the boy was being practical, would the 5 thousand have starved? Well, that is a pointless question cuz Jesus knew (v6) that the boy would offer his lunch!
As i think of meself today, i realise that as i grow older, i'm getting more practical. I am hessitant on doing things - i think too much before anything, which may not be a good thing. i used to be able to go up and share openly back home when i was younger. i find it harder now - i'm more conscious of the things i'm saying, the tone of my voice, how people would react. After all, i've been trained to consider these things.
having said that, while these are important, i'm reminded yesterday that it must not hinder us from sharing! It's ironic that the things taught to us to aid us end up hindering us!
I guess wat is ultimately most important is that we must look unto Jesus, fix our eyes on him. Focus not on our weaknesses and failings alone but to keep in mind his power and his love. What may not be good in our eyes can be good in the power of his love!
5 loaves and 2 fishes. The poor widow's 2 copper coins. Worthless in the world's eyes - but have been used by God in wonderful ways and is still being used today to teach, guide and encourage us.
"Aw, mom. They have already left..."
"They are not far away. Knowing u, u'll catch up wif them in no time".
Jonnie sulks. "Would you please hurry up?"
Mom laughs. Jonnie can look so cute when he sulks. "Patience, my dear, is a virtue. And you dun wan me to mess up your lunch, do you?"
"But the others din pack anything!", Jonnie whines. "They all just left with their dads and older brothers."
"Then they can all starve!"
Mom bite her lip immediately after she said that. That din come out right.
Jonnie fidgets quietly as Mom finishes packing the 5 loaves of barley bread and 2 small fishes.
"There you go, my dear."
Jonnie reaches out to grab the packed lunch when Mom instinctively pulls back - she knew the moment he gets his hands on it, he'll be gone in a flash.
"Just one more thing, Jonnie".
"Aw... wat now???"
"Jonnie, i want you to listen to me".
That tone that Mom used always works. Jonnie knew that Mom was gonna say something important and he'd listen carefully.
"This is your lunch. It's not much but if you have to, you'll..."
"Share it with others! Yes, mom. You always taught me that!"
Mom smiled. She hands him the food.
"I love you, darling".
Jonnie turns round even as he's running away.
"Love you too, mom!"
Mom smiles and returns back to her chores.
The speaker last nite spoke on the feeding of the 5 thousand. you can read the passage here. He was saying that when the little boy's mom prepared her son's lunch that day, she would not in her wildest imagination guessed that around 2000 years later, a preacher in the town of Colchester will be talking about the very same boy!We dun really know much about the boy. We din even know whether it was him who volunteered his lunch to Andrew or was it Andrew who asked him for it. We dun know wat was going on in his mind. The cynical part in me also questions whether he kept some back for himself (perhaps mom packed 10 loaves and 8 fishes???).
But i would like to think that the above narrative is close to wat really took place that day! :-)
In any event, the lesson is clear - are we willing to give wat we have to the Lord? Are are we too ashamed? 5 loaves and 2 fishes? You gotta be kidding!!!! Do we think that wat we have to offer is not good enuf, insufficient, faulty?
It's times like these when we will have to come wif child-like faith. The speaker said that the "practical man" is a curse to the church today. I may not agree wif that sentence but i understand where he is coming from. Too often, we think too much and due to practical reasons, we refrain from doing certain things. But is that right?
If the boy was being practical, would the 5 thousand have starved? Well, that is a pointless question cuz Jesus knew (v6) that the boy would offer his lunch!
As i think of meself today, i realise that as i grow older, i'm getting more practical. I am hessitant on doing things - i think too much before anything, which may not be a good thing. i used to be able to go up and share openly back home when i was younger. i find it harder now - i'm more conscious of the things i'm saying, the tone of my voice, how people would react. After all, i've been trained to consider these things.
having said that, while these are important, i'm reminded yesterday that it must not hinder us from sharing! It's ironic that the things taught to us to aid us end up hindering us!
I guess wat is ultimately most important is that we must look unto Jesus, fix our eyes on him. Focus not on our weaknesses and failings alone but to keep in mind his power and his love. What may not be good in our eyes can be good in the power of his love!
5 loaves and 2 fishes. The poor widow's 2 copper coins. Worthless in the world's eyes - but have been used by God in wonderful ways and is still being used today to teach, guide and encourage us.
Expect great things from God; Attempt great things for God
Attributed to William Carey
Attributed to William Carey
Pic taken from here. Cute-eh?
# posted by imissw : 12:07:00 pm
