{Five Minute Friday | Eat}

It's Five Minute Friday. That means unplanned, unedited, straight-from-the-heart-to-the-paper writing. Yep, you just write whatever comes out based on a word you're given. If you have five minutes, you should give it a try!  Find out how here.

This week the prompt is {EAT}. This is also Day 28 of the 31 Day Writing Challenge! WOO!

Ready? GO.

"You give them something to eat." -Jesus

I like to imagine their mouths hanging wide open in astonishment when He gave them this answer. Can you imagine it? Thousands of people followed them to a remote place. They had come there with Jesus for a rest. It was hot. It was late. They hadn't even had a chance to eat themselves. "Send the crowd away so that they can go. . .and find food," they said. And this was His reply! No. Way. Never mind feeding all these people would cost eight months' wages. Impossible? By their estimation, yes; but, Jesus has a way of taking an impossible situation and doing something amazing. That's what He did here. He used five loaves and two fish to feed 5000 people. And, they didn't just have a nibble. Scripture says they all ate and were satisfied. And, Jesus didn't offer just enough. He provided more than was needed. There were twelve baskets of food left after everyone had eaten. Wow.

I love the truths we can uncover in this scene.

1. Rest is important. Jesus had taken this twelve disciples away to a remote place to do just that.
2. Interruptions can provide an opportunity for a God-moment. People followed them. They didn't get to rest much if at all. Instead, they witnessed a miracle.
3. We often measure what's in front of us by taking account of what's missing, what we don't have. Our lack of resource limits our vision. But, Jesus sees what we do have and loads of potential in even the smallest things.
4. Jesus cares about our physical needs and our spiritual needs. He spent the day teaching the crowd, feeding them spiritually. And when they grew hungry, He met that need as well. His compassion was on display.
5. The disciples were invited to participate in the miracle. They did what they could, and then God did what only He could do.

Yes. I love it when God does something that only He can. In those moments, His infinite power and goodness are undeniable.

What seemingly impossible thing has God asked of you? Have no doubt, if He's asked it of you, then He's fully prepared to take what you have in hand and blow impossible right out of the water. Ask Him. Then, watch Him go to work.

Stop.

{Bouquet | Day 27 of 31}

Ready? Go.

One of my favorite things is a bouquet of wildflowers. I love that I live in a city where there are fields of them in a few local parks. Julia and I love to stroll down the gravel path counting butterflies. It winds back through the field, and there are wildflowers as far as the eye can see. On a breezy day, the flowers rustle in the wind, bending this way and swaying that way. It makes me smile. Sometimes, I stare, captivated by the beauty.

It reminds me of Matthew 6. This entire chapter of Scripture is beautiful and straight from the mouth of Jesus. I would love to leave the whole of it here for you to read, but I will let you grab your scriptures and read it there. Let's just settle on this:

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." (Matthew 6:30-33, The Message)

We don't have to worry. We don't have to fuss. We don't have to strive. God is making beautiful things out of us and doing wonderful things for us. Perhaps, we can take our cue from the wildflowers, bending this way and swaying that way as He sings over us with His perfect love and never-ending grace.

Stop.

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{Confront | Day 26 of 31}

Ready? Go.

"I don't like confrontation," she said. I don't like it either! The word by definition implies hostility.  But, what about conflict? Conflict (or disagreement)  is an expected part of human relationships. We can't all agree on everything one hundred percent of the time. That's fair, right? It's certainly not something we should stir up (see Proverbs 6:14, 19; 10:12; 15:18; 16:28; 29:22). When it comes, though, we ought to address it.

Disagreement doesn't have to disintegrate into a confrontation. Conflict can be handled well through honest, gracious conversation. But, I don't know if we've done that well in the church. Here are a few things I try to remember in the midst of conflict.

Words matter. Use them wisely. Carefully. Perhaps, even sparingly. Listen first. Then respond. If there is a gap to be filled in, ask a question before making an unfair assumption. Always, always extend grace and mercy. 1 Corinthians 13. Always.

Stop.

{Sign | Day 25 of 31}

Ready? Go.

Last summer, my family and I had a big decision to make. It was a big deal to us -- we were deciding whether to stay at our church or not. We'd been invited to join a leadership team at a 2-year-old church plant. We toiled over the decision. There were prayers, fasting, conversations. I asked God to make it undeniably clear if this was a yes. I needed a sign. Have you ever been there? In hindsight, I wonder if perhaps I shouldn't have been more precise in my prayers. You know, like Gideon in Judges 6.

We truly thought we got it right. But after only a few months in, it seemed painfully clear that we didn't. Or, at least, it wasn't the best yes. My family is still sorting through the fragmented pieces and jagged edges left from that season trying to make sense of it. We're trusting God to fill in the gaps and smooth the rough edges. And, He will.

But, I can't help but wonder how I missed it?  Why did I miss it? Nevermind that. I suppose the important thing is that I am confident I am never beyond His reach. And, I am never out of His sight. And nothing is beyond being used for His purpose and His glory.  And so, it's been a Psalm 139 kind of season. He goes before. He comes behind. He hems me in. I'm grateful He works all things for good.

Stop.

{Global | Day 24 of 31}

Ready? Go.

Go into all the world. Preach the gospel. (Mark 16:15)

The gospel reaches. It was never meant to stop reaching until the day of Christ's return. I love that.  God had a plan for salvation and redemption before the foundations of the world that would span history. It's unchanging and powerful. For all people. In all the world.

We have the best news ever told. It's the most beautiful story. What if we started telling it again?

Stop.