Five Small Loaves, Two Small Fish
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Some ants taught me how to identify genuine brown sugar recently.
I got interested in the activities of the ants, especially their movements, and decided to drop some brown sugar on the table, and observe them.
After about an hour, I realized the brown sugar I had poured had reduced in quantity, and had become white! A small research I did brought out surprising results; that ants prefer brown sugar to white sugar! It was actually a science experiment for some first graders (link shared in credits). The curious investigators concluded that:
- Ants like sweets and can smell sugar from far away. Sugar gives them energy.
- Ants need water, and brown sugar has more water because of the molasses syrup in it.
- Ants can smell really well and brown sugar smells stronger than the other sugars.
- Brown sugar is small enough for ants to easily carry.
- Ants prefer brown sugar to white sugar, and would carry brown sugar away first.
So next time I want to check if brown sugar is genuine, I will simply pour some of it for ants, and observe if the sugar will become white at a point; or remain brown throughout!
What other lessons do we learn from this?
READ Exodus 4:10-12
But Moses said to the Lord,
“Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
Then the Lord said to him,
“Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.
(Exodus 4:10-12 ESV )
When God called Moses to intervene in Egypt and free the nation of Israel from slavery, Moses was full of arguments. Moses said, “Who am I?…What shall I say?…What if they do not believe me? Moses was not the only one who doubted God’s call. Many people that God called questioned the Lord, argued with Him, and some even tried to ran away! A few that come to mind are Gideon (Judges 6:15), who said He was “the least in his father’s house”, Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:6) who said “I do not know how to speak; I am too young,” and Jonah who actually tried to ran away (Jonah 1:3)!
All these people and many more, went on to do great works when they availed themselves to the Lord.
Many of us flinch and shrink when the call into God’s service comes to us. This is so because we see ourselves doing God’s work in our own strength and wisdom. But God never sends us without equipping us.
I shared the story of the ant above to illustrate how God equips even little creatures with so much ability and wisdom to survive and contribute their quota to the ecology of life. Why would the same God not equip those He is sending into the world to be His ambassadors; to win souls into His kingdom and contribute to the Kingdom expansion?
Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian church wrote:
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human beingmight boast in the presence of God.
(1 Corinthians 1:26-29 ESV )
The writer of the book of Hebrew amply echoed the same thoughts by writing the benediction in Hebrews 13:20-21, which says,
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
(Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV)
May we remember these always, to remind us that we are not going in our won strength.
Ultimately, we are simply handing over our “five small barley loaves, and two small fish”; knowing the Lord will use them for a great miracle!
Knowing these not only energizes us, but also humbles us when God is using us.
MEMORY VERSE
“Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind?”
(Exodus 4:11)
QUESTIONS
What do you have?
Would you want to hand it over to the Lord for a miracle?
PRAYER TIP
Gracious God, please help us
to understand that we go in
Your power and wisdom;
not ours.
CREDITS
Dixie Delights, “First Grade Science Fair (September 28, 2012),” https://dixiedelightsonline.com/2012/09/first-grade-science-fair.html
URGENT CALL
By nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God. We ultimately face the wrath of God!
But God in His mercy and love gives us a chance to reverse this trend, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.
The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.
Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.
It is a very personal decision. No one can make that decision for you.
If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God!
Do you want to make that decision today?
Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer”
for guidance if you want to
make that decision.
We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page.
God richly bless you.
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.
We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.
We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.
God richly bless you.
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