The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
(Friends: Just before sending this out, I had an experience unlike any I have ever known in the 23 years we have sent the devotional. I often listen to soft classical music while writing. I was doing so this morning while finishing up the following essay. A piece of music begin to play with which I was unfamiliar. I glanced at the title on my computer screen: "Enough" was the name of the piece, as it is the name of the essay. Hmmm. Interesting, to say the least. Thanks, Glen).
"Enough"
When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this He said to prove him: for He himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto Him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten" (John 6:5-13).
There was not enough bread and fish to feed the multitude. There was, however, enough Lord Jesus Christ.
How often this is the case in our lives. We do not have enough faith, righteousness, strength, patience, perseverance, and most of all, love. But we do have enough Christ. John's narrative of our Lord feeding five thousand reveals we do not require "enough" of anything other than our blessed Lord being in close proximity (as in our hearts). What we need is His "enough," that is, confidence in His faithfulness, righteousness, strength, patience, perseverance, and the love that "passeth knowledge" (Ephesians 3:19). "God… hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). As we trust our Lord, the Holy Spirit reveals the abundantly adequate presence and power of Christ as the very Life of our lives. "We shall live with Him by the power of God toward you" (II Corinthians 13:4).
Regarding earthly matters, the principle also applies. We may not have enough health, money, possessions, companionship, security, or future prospects. We do, however, have enough Christ to enable our navigation in His peace and joy through the challenges of life. "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). Note Paul's "by Christ Jesus" regarding the fulfillment of our needs. Christ Himself serves as the very heart of everything God supplies to us. The Lord Jesus, in ways of wonder beyond our understanding, graces the gift of every breath we will ever breathe, and every provision our Heavenly Father bestows.
Our Savior not only fed five thousand with seemingly inadequate supply. He also filled twelve baskets with leftovers. We must view His provision in our lives according to the same measure of abundance. As usual, the Apostle Paul said it best, and we close with his affirmation that when it seems we do not have enough of this or that, we always have more than enough Lord Jesus Christ.
"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
(Ephesians 3:20-21)
Weekly Memory Verse
"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever."
(Psalm 138:8).
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