Glory to Jesus for the first 6 parts of this series of ‘unveiling’ Jesus in the Old Testament. I have received Gracious feedbacks… and its
totally evident that you have been richly blessed! So, what exciting picture of Jesus are we looking at this time?
Can you remember a prophet in the Old Testament named ‘Elisha’? Hmm… There was a time when there was a serious famine in Israel in a place called ‘Gilgal’. The famine was so serious that people ‘unknowingly’ cooked poisonous plant that seems edible just to survive as there was no food in the land. (2kings 4:39) Hmm…
Now, there was a time that 100men were with Elisha in Gilgal….’hungry’! Are you in a situation where you need God’s intervention against the famine in your life, marriage, career or ministry? You are about to see Jesus’ super-abounding Grace in that area! Hmm… The Bible says:
‘…Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack…’ (2Kngs 4:42)
In the midst of the hunger, a man came around to ‘bless’ Elisha with…
– 20 loaves of barley bread
– a knapsack of fresh grains
Hmm… Now note that this food that was brought can only feed about 5 people conveniently! But we have 100people ready to devour this meal! So, we need a multiple of 20 of what is available… if we must feed these hundred ‘hungry’ souls!!! Elisha said to one of his servants…
‘…And Elisha said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat…’ (2kings 4:42)
Wow! In other words, give a meal meant for 5 people to 100 people! In fact, the servant replied with an ‘exclamation mark’!
‘…But his servant said, “What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?! (2kings 4:43)
Oh…oh! The servant was conscious of the challenge… instead of the SUPER-ABOUNDING GRACE that was ready to manifest! Elisha reiterated…
‘…He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: ‘They shall eat and HAVE SOME LEFT OVER! ” (2kings 4:43)
Wow! In other words, there will be a SUPER ABOUNDING supply of Grace in the challenge! So, what happened? Hmm…
‘… So he set it before them; and they ate and had SOME LEFTOVER, according to the word of the LORD…’ (2kings 4:44)
Wow! Isn’t our God Gracious? Now what picture of Jesus in the New Testament can we coin out from this story? I’m sure you know it already! This time around…we don’t have 100 men to feed! We have 5000men to feed! This time around…we don’t have 20 loaves of bread! We only have 5 loaves of bread! Can you see the picture???
Well, it was not only the servant of Elisha who had the gift of rendering of ‘exclamation marks’ to impossible situations! The disciples of Jesus also had this gift working in their life! Hmm…
‘…There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but WHAT ARE THEY (5loaves) AMONG SO MANY (5000 men)?…’! (John 6:9)
Oh how difficult it is for us to see God’s SUPER ABOUNDING GRACE in the midst of our challenges! In the case of Elisha…what we needed was a multiple of 20 in other to feed 100 people! But in this case…what we need is a multiple of 1000!
Now listen carefully: whenever you notice a challenge in your life…never forget that Jesus is right there with you with ‘a multiple of 1000’ solution to that very challenge!
Are you having some ‘weaknesses’? Jesus is saying to you:
‘…My STRENGTH is made perfect in weakness…’ (2Cor 12:9)
Focus on His strength and not your weakness! You think you are a great sinner? Well, Jesus is yet a GREATER Saviour! Hmm… So, what happened?
In the case of Elisha…the people ate so much to satisfaction… and had ‘some’ LEFT OVER! But in this case of Jesus, the Bible reveals that after the 5000 were fully fed,…
‘…therefore they gathered them up, and filled 12 baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were LEFT OVER by those who had eaten…’ (John 6:13)
Wow! 12 baskets left over? Where did the baskets even come from? Wasn’t it just 5 loaves that was initially brought with hands? Hmm… Now…that is the practical definition of SUPER-ABOUNDING GRACE! Hallelujah!
In conclusion: Never forget: whenever you notice a challenge in your life…never forget that Jesus is right there with you with ‘a multiple of 1000’ solution to that very challenge!
Are you having some ‘weakness’? Jesus is saying to you:
‘…My STRENGTH is made perfect in weakness…’ (2Cor 12:9)
That is another way of saying… My Strength is SUPER-ABOUNDING in your weakness! Focus on His strength and not your weakness! And you will be surprised how His Strength will swallow up all your weakness! You think you are a great sinner? Well, Jesus is yet a GREATER Saviour!
‘…where sin abounded, Grace abounded MUCH MORE…’ (Romans 5:20)
Glory to Jesus!
Amen.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.