We do not read the Bible to decide whether it is true. Scripture declares to us that it is God-breathed, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God’s breath breathed upon the people to write his story so it would become our story by faith. Praise God! We do not need to reason or always understand every dot and tittle but simply believe by faith to receive the fullness of God’s story from start to finish, from faith to faith, and Genesis to Revelation for the story of us. We are God’s beloved and weaved in-grafted into the tree of life through our Beloved Jesus.

As my daughter and I walked along the ocean shore each day, we shared silence and wonderful conversation. She asked me what I missed most about my husband, her dear daddy Duane. Immediately, I said, his strong and gentle presence. For a man that towered above most, his strength was captivating, but as you began to have conversation, his gentle spirit defined his true disposition. His strength was in the Lord and that was that. Duane knew God chose him in love to become his own, that he blessed him with various gifts to be used for his glory, and in his brokenness, he forever became whole so that he might share to the world how to worship our mighty God.

Let us peer into the gospel of Mathew for the feeding of the five thousand and receive its truth by faith. John the Baptist was just beheaded by Herod for proclaiming God’s truth. Jesus heard the news and withdrew in a boat to place by himself. As the gospel goes, people heard the news and followed Jesus. Why is this? They wanted to be near him. Jesus’ strong but gentle and abiding presence ministered to their souls. He saw their great needs because all people mattered to him. Jesus saw the multitude of people and his heart moved with compassion to touch and heal all who came by faith. Jesus recognized they were hungry, and the disciples wanted to send them away to their homes so they could eat. But Jesus had other plans. What a blessed opportunity for a miracle to take place and the disciples to take part. Jesus wanted to feed them. There were only five loaves of bread and two fish. “Bring them here to me, “he said.  And he directed the people to sit down on the grass (Mathew 14:18-19). Here we witness a consistent pattern of Jesus through healings, prayer, communion, and multiplicity. He took, blessed, broke, and gave. He is communing with his Father, the disciples, and the multitude of people, drawing everyone in union with himself by faith.

As Jesus took the loaves and fish, he blessed them by giving thanks in faith to his Father above so they would multiply. Then he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples to give to the people. We do not fully understand the law of expansion in this powerful miracle. But what Jesus desires for us as Christians is that we are called in all manner of life to operate by faith. Let us look at the verbs in relation to Jesus’ life and ours that Mathew declares. To take is by choice. We have a choice to take the gift of Jesus or not. Jesus was chosen by God to become the bread of life and the perfect living sacrifice for all of creation. He chose to surrender his life, and take up his cross, and die a sinner’s death. What do you choose? From the foundation, he chose us to become his Beloved children, to be blessed with every blessing from the heavenly places in him. From God’s outpouring of love, we too were broken or surrendered our lives to be in a holy communion with him so that all of brokenness might come under Christ’s blessed reign. And all of this is so that we can give back to the world the blessing of Jesus. Took, Blessed, Broke, and Gave. What a beautiful image of the Lord as the sustenance for life. As Jesus prayed, God breathed the Spirit upon the bread and fish to multiply. Jesus, as the Passover Lamb, poured himself out to the world as a ransom for many. The dynamic power of the Holy Spirit is why all peoples can join in celebration and commune with Jesus. This was God’s purpose to choose us, you and me, so that we might choose him. He is my Beloved and I am his! His banner over me is love!

Reflection:

• What keeps you from living the life in Jesus, God has chosen for you?
• What does it mean to take, bless, surrender, and give?

Dear Father,

Thank you for choosing us in love to be blessed and broken before you so that we might give Jesus to the world. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your breath every day that breathes the life of Jesus into our being! Praise Him!

In Jesus name,

Amen!

Blessings

Dr. Franks