What Do You Do With Your 'Not-Enough'? - by Laura Duke

Mathew 14 says that Jesus' cousin had been killed by Herod. The one sent to prepare the way for Jesus himself. Jesus withdrew away to be alone, but the crowds followed him to this remote place. Jesus had wanted to be alone, but when he saw that the people had followed him, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Evening came and the disciples 'advised' Jesus to send the people home to get food. Perhaps they were concerned for the people, perhaps for Jesus who hadn't yet had time to grieve for his cousin. Perhaps for themselves because they were hungry or tired too. 

Now, I have an inkling that the gathered crowd could've looked around and seen that there was no food and determined for themselves that it might be time to think about going to find some dinner. But they didn't. Why? How can we sometimes be distracted from just being with Jesus by the pracicalities of living?

Jesus said to his disciples that the people didn't need to go away to be fed and challenged them to feed the crowd. 'We've only got 5 loaves and 2 fish!'. Jesus took the meager offerings and looked to heaven and thanked God and broke them to distribute. Pause. Put yourself in the position of an onlooker. Jesus must've looked insane! Thanking God for what was clearly not enough and beginning to distribute it as though it were going to be enough! Well, as we know, it was enough. 

What do we do with our 'not enough'? I don't think it would be easy to thank God for 'not enough'. To thank him for what appears to be a very obvious lack seems illogical. Do we give from our 'not enough' as though it will be enough? Do we allow our lack and 'not enough' to be further broken and distributed that it may bring forth abundance by the power of Christ? 

 I pray that this may give us cause to ponder, wonder and consider.