Are you good at math? Can you walk through the multiplication tables (or times tables for us older folks)? Have you experienced multiplying, rather than simply doing the math on a piece of paper? Have you witnessed God multiplying your efforts to enlarge the results?
We typically think of math as a finance or business practice. We may include it in some of our work around our homes. Yet, we do not often think of math, outside of the business part, within our churches. Perhaps we should ask God to multiply our outreach efforts.
When we look at the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, we are amazed at the miracle of feeding them with five loaves of bread and a couple fish. We may even dig into the fact that Mark records the five thousand as men and tack on an estimate for women and children, perhaps estimating the total number to be fifteen or twenty thousand.
But what if we look at it differently? What if we look at the possibility that God can do the same with our outreach efforts, multiplying them to reach more people for his kingdom? Imagine our efforts being multiplied by two, five, ten, or twenty. Think about how many people we could reach for God’s kingdom. Think about how many more people we could bring to Jesus and into our churches.
How do we do that? First, we need to pray that God leads us in our outreach efforts. Second, we need to follow his lead. Third, we need to pray over those efforts before we begin. Fourth, we need to trust that God will deliver on his promises. This is the model Jesus followed to feed the five thousand. He knew the Father’s will. He knew the people needed to be fed. He prayed over the food. He relied on the Father to bless His effort. Then the miracle happened.
I pray we all seek to follow God’s will in our outreach efforts. I pray we follow God’s lead in our efforts. I pray each one of us will pray before we act, and trust God will keep his promises. Seek God’s will. Follow God’s will. Pray before you act. Trust God’s promises. Know that God will provide.
Mark 6:41-44 Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
Marty Pressey 