What do I have to offer?
What do I have to offer?...Have you ever wondered that?
This question would be and often is a question echoing from the haunting walls in my life from the enemy. What do I have to offer?
If you've read through the pages of scripture it doesn't take you long to see what people the Lord choose to use - the lowly, outcast, unexpected, inadequate, under qualified, ordinary... do I need to go on? We get it. We can see and hear that God loves using the ordinary to display something extraordinary. I think our nature often desires to feel adequate, qualified, useful, extraordinary.
"You give them something to eat...we only have five loaves here and two fish...bring them here to me." Matthew 14:16,17,18
When reading Mathew 14:13-21 I see Jesus have compassion to feed the multitude and the disciples’ inadequacy in what they had to "offer" to feed the people. I think we often view ourselves that way with the needs around us. In the hands of Jesus, He breaks us, uses, blesses, and multiples when we are willing to give and be used. After feeding all the people, not only was the multitude “satisfied” from the disciples’ shortage, but there also was 12 baskets full (for each disciple) of broken pieces of food. Bring what fish and loaves you had and watch what He will do with your willing obedience and how you walk away filled abundantly in Him.
The reality is I don't have much to offer in and of myself, but I'm willing. To step out in faith and discomfort and insecurities and face the accusing claims from the enemy that I don't have anything to offer. I'm willing, doesn't mean I always do. I'm sometimes immobilized by fear or insecurities. My willingness often carries with it the enemy’s accusations, but if I'm willing to be go with Him anways, He shows Himself all the more to me and through me.
"Cursed by everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them...Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." Galatians 3:10,13,14
So I embrace the enemy’s accusations and point him to the cross - he's right - Jesus saves!
I could listen to all the enemy’s accusations against me - that I have nothing to offer, that I'm in adequate, not enough, lack wisdom or giftings, life experience, etc.
Bring what you have.
Offer what you have.
Watch the Good Shepherd break it, bless it, multiple it...do with it far more than you imagined. He has written your story with great purpose.
Posted in: on Friday, January 31, 2014 at
