It's stupid until it's not...
Hopeless. We are in a season that knows all too well hopeless feelings. What makes you feel hopeless? What seems like a dead end? Your current job? Your financial burdens? A broken relationship with unresolvable differences? Pain of loss? An overwhelming schedule? What feels hopeless?
"What feels hopeless?"
Here is what we all have in common; it’s easy to identify hopeless situations. Here is where we lack commonality; what is your next move? Punk out or wade in? Sit paralyzed or claw your way out? See obstacles or creatively brainstorm possibilities?
I want to be the guy who thinks of solutions. I want to be the guy surrounded by people thinking of solutions. I want to be the guy who who brings the impossible to Jesus. I want to be the guy who trusts Jesus to make much of little. Why? I think I’ll see Jesus do the impossible.
Andrew did.
“After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!" John 6:1-14 ESV
Lots of text so let me break it down. Jesus and the 12 disciples are doing a good thing, healing and teaching people. Crowd comes. Time to eat. Jesus identifies the problem. “How will we get them food, Phillip what say you?” Phillip sees the problem but sees no solution; only impossibility of the situation. Seemingly things go silent. Then Andrew breaks the silence with a solution. It’s not a solution any of us think of or honestly even consider a solution. He says, in essence, “I met this boy and he’s got 5 loaves of bread and 2 things of fish, I mean that is a start.”
What? How is that a solution? Other passages says there are thousands and thousands of people that need to be feed. Andrew seriously, thousands of people and you come up with a boy who has some bread and fish? It’s not even worth the energy to speak like this.
Andrew is the guy around the table that says something, everyone rolls their eyes and then looks at the boss to see their reaction. I mean, he’s gonna get asked to leave the room right? No.
Jesus meets him in his childlike faith and does the impossible. He makes much of little. He magnifies human efforts with supernatural power. They feed everyone and even have leftovers. I bet Andrew is looking around at the 11 with a nice little grin on his face. But even Andrew couldn’t have imagined what Jesus would do.
If I ever get a tattoo it would likely be the number 5-2. This passage is meaningful to me. I face a lot of seemingly impossible situations. Truthfully, I kind of go looking for them. I serve a big God, I want to be in a situation where if God doesn’t act it will fail. However, this is draining. This is emotional. So, I want (need) to surround myself with Andrews. I need people around me who won’t only see the problem. I don’t need a table full of Phillips. I need a table full of Andrews. I need people who can see the problem but instantly start coming up with solutions.
So what is your next move? What is a small step of faith you can take prayerfully, asking God to make much of it.
Do you have a financial burden? To save $200 a month on cigarettes won’t solve your financial burden. So you keep smoking. What if you did quit and you starting chipping away? What might God do?
Do you have a broken relationship? They are 99% wrong and you screwed up very little. Is it something where they don’t see how they are the huge problem. They only see how you are the problem. I mean nothing will get fixed until they see their issue, so why apologize for your small part in it? Why not hold your head up high, apologize, and pray God opens their eyes through it?
"Perhaps that is the best way; to trust Jesus, make a move, give Him space, and watch out!"
What situation do you find yourself in? You’re identifying all the problems. You’re shooting down all the possible solutions. Cool. Now what? You’re stuck and will stay stuck. Why not take a step. A prayerful step. Five loaves and two fish with Jesus can feed thousands. Perhaps that is the best way; to trust Jesus, make a move, give Him space, and watch out!
Keep Praying for One!
Written by Pastor Jason Coache,
Lead Pastor of Wellspring Church
