MULTIPLIED by Lt Col David Godkin

30 June 2016

One of the earliest memories I have of Sunday School is being taught the story of the loaves and fish. I loved this story!

Five thousand people followed Jesus out in the middle of the desert. He taught them all day, and at the end of the day, they were all hungry. The disciples told Jesus to send them all away. Instead, Jesus told the disciples that they needed to feed the people. Out of that huge crowd, one little boy had brought a packed lunch, and inside were five little loaves of bread and two dried fish. The little boy brought his lunch to Jesus and said, “Lord, you can have this.”

Jesus took the bread and loaves. He prayed and broke it and blessed it and multiplied it. He tore it apart and began to feed everybody. It fed all 5,000 people! There were 5,000 witnesses to this miracle.
Not only did the small meal feed 5,000; when they picked up all of the leftovers at the end, there were 12 baskets full of leftover fish and loaves!

Jesus often used miracles to teach a truth, and the truth he is teaching here in this story is "Whatever you give to God, he multiplies".

If you give God your talent, he’ll multiply your talent. If you give God your energy, he’ll multiply your energy. If you give God your time, he will multiply your time. If you give God your money, he will multiply your money. If you give God your relationships, he will multiply your relationships. Whatever you give to God he will multiply and give it back.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 says, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (RSV).
God always gives you more than you need, more than you anticipate, more than you can imagine. He took what the boy gave him. He broke it, he blessed it, and he used it.

That’s what God does in your life. The hard part is the breaking part. But when God takes you and breaks you, he will then bless you. He’ll bless you, and use you to bless others.
So, cast your bread on the waters today, and watch God multiply it!

Lt. Col. David Godkin
Divisional Commander
Queensland
June 2016