Daring Belief and Life

Daring Belief and Life

The prophet Elisha Today I want to share a miracle in the Bible that I have too often hurried past without stopping to appreciate God and his powerful message. Yes, there may be more exciting stories right before and after it. Yes, there are even bigger feeding miracles in the Bible. But this feeding miracle of the Old testament has a strong and encouraging message for all of us.

One day a man arrived from Baal Shalishah. He brought the man of God twenty loaves of fresh-baked bread from the early harvest, along with a few apples from the orchard. Elisha said, “Pass it around to the people to eat.” His servant said, “For a hundred men? There’s not nearly enough!” Elisha said, “Just go ahead and do it. God says there’s plenty.” And sure enough, there was. He passed around what he had—they not only ate, but had leftovers. (2 Kings 4:42-44, MSG, emphasis added)

What happended? As we know from the previous stories there is a famine in the land. A man from Baal Shalishah generously brings food from the first fruits. And Elisha readily shares. But his servant points out that there’s not enough for everyone. Elisha tells him “Just go ahead and do it. God says there’s plenty.” And sure enough, there was.

Because of the famine, food was extremely precious. Even then the anonymous man brings the first fruits to God’s prophet as commanded in Leviticus 23:20. This holy offering stated that the land and its produce belonged to God. The prophet Elisha gave this food usually offered to God to the men.  Hence the men were dining on the Lord’s table. The source of this abundant food was God. And miraculously God multiplied the food to feed everyone of them, they even had some leftovers.

This miracle was performed by God but it also needed human generosity and willingness to share and take care of all the people, not just selected few. How often do we restrain God’s miracles from happening? How often our stinginess and selfishness keeps God’s miracles in check? Lord, have mercy.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit prompts us to do something that makes us look stupid. “There’s not nearly enough!” Sometimes God asks us to act on our beliefs when there’s no concrete evidence God’s will could ever happen. “Just go ahead and do it.”

That’s when our belief needs to kick in.
That’s when we need to trust God.
That’s when we need to get out of the boat.
That’s when we need to decide on whose wisdom we are trusting.
That’s when we need to dare to believe and stake our lives on God.
And that’s when God does the impossible.

God is more than able.
God is more than willing.
God is more than we dare to imagine.

God is calling us…
… to daring belief and life.
… to trust him in everything.
… to wait for good because he is good.

Gracious God,
You are amazing!
Thanks for inviting to be part of your miracles.
Enable us to be generous what you’ve given to us.
Help us to share and care like you.
Empower us to surrender to you daily.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Have you been part of God’s miracles? How would “daring belief and life” look on you?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you dare to share and care prompted by the Holy Spirit!

Giving thanks today for
#611 God’s people sharing and caring.
#612 God’s power to do the impossible.
#613 Surrendering to God is the way to peace.
#614 daring to stake my life on God.
#615 God calling us into deeper relationship with Him.
#616 The promptings of the Holy Spirit.
#617 God is able.
#618 God is willing.
#619 God is more than we ever need.
#620 God is everything.
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Image courtesy of www.christiansunite.com. Linking up today with Linking up today with What’s on Your Heart Tuesdays Wordfilled Wednesday, All Things Heart & Home , God-Bumps and God-incidences , Work in Progress , One Word at a Time: Apples Blog Carnival and

18 thoughts on “Daring Belief and Life

  1. Oh! Mari-Anna!  What a beautiful story. I am embarrassed to say that I never read this story before.  It was like opening up a delightful present today– I especially loved 
    The prophet Elisha gave this food usually offered to God to the men.  “Hence the men were dining on the Lord’s table. The source of this abundant food was God.”  Thanks for posting!

  2. Stepping out on the water. Letting God work in and through us. Knowing that God is always there and always will provide. Being willing to look stupid because we know that God is in control! Thank you for sharing! Stoppin by from Getting Down with Jesus….Blessings from simplyhelpinghim.com

  3. Yes. I’ve been part of a miracle. I *am* a miracle. Every breath, a miracle. Every step, a miracle. Faith itself? A miracle. Thank you for linking in community with us! 

  4. YES, He IS amazing.  W/O Him, there would be nothing.

    Sharing, providing, caring for others is something we are consistently called to do.  Whether it’s bread, or apples, or hugs, or encouragement.

    I’m glad you came up with this re: “apples”.  I couldn’t post, b/c I couldn’t come up with anything that made real sense.  During my childhood a bit of Washington state apple history [Washington used to be considered the most productive apple state years ago], and I wanted to share a few fun/funny details, but I couldn’t turn that into anything spiritual.  Oh, well.  As usual, you did beautifully.

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