Joni And Friends Daily Devotional 19 May 2024 Message
TOPIC: Limited Resources
“’How many loaves do you have?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ When they found out, they said, ‘Five—and two fish.’” – Mark 6:38
Do you ever feel as if you’re only one person who can only do so much, especially in the face of some pressing need? We can all find excuses to sidestep a problem. We can say that we’re the wrong person for the job, that we can’t do it alone, that we have other priorities, that God hasn’t called us to meet the need, or we can use the ever-ready excuse “I only have limited resources.”
That’s the excuse the disciples reached for in Mark 6 when Jesus told them to give a huge crowd something to eat. They said to him, “Look, Lord, we only have five loaves and two fish.” Well, you know what Jesus did with that excuse. He turned it into a miracle of multiplication, and before they knew it, the disciples ended up helping to feed five thousand.
God laughs in the face of limited resources. In fact, he often uses limitations on our resources to strengthen and test our faith as we step out and believe he will supply the need.
That’s something to remember if today you are faced with a need, a project, a problem with which you feel bound and gagged because of your lack of resources. Remember: when you roll up your sleeves and dig into the task God has put before you, your resources will expand. Out of nowhere you will find you have the strength, you will see you have the time, and if money is the problem, watch to see how God will supply what’s needed.
PRAY: God of limitlessness, I confess that I’m often caught up in seeing the limits rather than the possibilities. Open my eyes, but more importantly open my heart, that I might see and believe.
Joni Eareckson Tada is an American evangelical Christian author, radio host, artist, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization “accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community”.