"Mo-om," my six year old son calls from where he is working on math, "I can't do this!"
I am in the kitchen washing dishes. "If you can't do it," I reply, "Just bring it to me."
And in a whoosh, I hear God's still small voice, coming in on the heels of what I have just spoken aloud. "Isn't that what I say to you?" he reminds me.
When I am overwhelmed: "If you can't do it, just bring it to Me."
When I am angry: "If you can't do it, just bring it to Me."
When I am hurting: "If you can't do it, just bring it to Me."
When I am confused: "If you can't do it, just bring it to Me."
Thousands of years ago, the disciples faced a situation they couldn't do. They couldn't feed 5000 men and their families lunch even though the people were hungry. They knew that allowing them to leave would mean missing a great ministry opportunity... but their resources were sorely lacking. And then one little boy stood up and offered his lunch. Jesus responded,"Bring them here to me." (Matthew 14:18) He took that meager offering-- the tiniest bit offered in faith-- and multiplied it beyond anyone's expectations.
I need God to do that for me every day. When I think that I can't do something, I need to faithfully take what little I can do and place it in His hands. And then I need to stand back and watch Him multiply my humble offering into something amazing.
What are you feeling like you can't do today?
Homeschool your children even though you know He is calling you to?
Respond to a ministry opportunity even though it is scary?
Stay in a marriage that looks over from where you're standing?
Persevere in your efforts to pay off debt?
Offer forgiveness to someone who hurt you?
Whatever it is, know this: You are right. You can't do it. So bring whatever it is to him. Picture yourself offering it up, just like that little boy's lunch. Then stand back and prepare to be amazed.
16 comments:
MaryBeth,
I don't have much time to write, but please know that God used you mightily to confirm what He showed me this morning. (Amazingly, I actually got up this morning and read this same story in John.)
I have been struggling with manuscript revisions and doing them in my own power. God lovingly showed me through this and your posting that He will multiply my small efforts if I will just give my efforts and myself to Him for breaking. He promised He would even have plenty of blessings left over!
Thank you for being you!
Funny, I was just going through the "Mo-om, I can't do this math." yesturday afternoon with my son. He's in 5th grade and I sometimes think that Homeschooling would be the answer for me. It is so frustrating when he has something he does not understand in math because they will not let him bring his math book home from school. Which makes perfect sense to me since we Moms don't do anything but sit around studing math all day anyway. Yeh, right! I was no math scholar in school and even if I was it would still be nice to have a book to glance at to make sure I remembered correctly and was telling him the right way to do it.
I can't help but wonder sometimes that if I was Homeschooling him I would have books at homes and would know what he was doing and be able to better show him so that he could understand.
Thank goodness for computers, they are helpful most of the time but not always.
Your post was great, Thanks.
Marybeth, it was truly wonderful to hear this reminder that God just wants us to bring it to Him. I have been dealing with stress lately, concerning my teenager son. I could easily fret and worry , I am pretty good at doing that, but I felt led by God to present my prayers and petitions to Him, and to trust Him. this was confirmation of that.I am most uplifted and encouraged by your words, and I am thankful that you carefully write what God wants you to. thanks for offering your time every day.
Marybeth ~ Thank you for this post. It was so "God"timely. :o)
So many times the Lord has used you and your blog to reach me and I am sure many others. So, please accept my heartfelt thanks.
I too enjoy reading you most days and pray for you and yours.
Hugs and Blessings,
Lynn
Great word, Marybeth, and one I needed to hear.
sometimes it is just frightening how much one post speaks to one's self.
Great word! This needs to be a devotional! :)
Rebecca
It's already in the works Rebecca! You guys get to see it first, in its rough form...
I so needed to hear those words - thank you.
Oh wow - i love this post!!
yes....bring it to him...just like the little children. :)
this is amazing, and wonderfully written. the Lord has been really working on something in my heart lately and this was just a piece of, thanks for posting it for him so I could read and ponder on it. blessings to you.
Great Post Marybeth. Great reminder.
I didnt have time to read your post this morning, but if I had, it would have reminded me to bring something to him right away instead of picking up the phone. I have learned this several times when will it sink in.
Hugs,
Debra
Thanks for this today. I indeed will bring this to Him and not rely on my own understanding. Always enjoy your blog.
God bless.
Thank you so much, Marybeth, for posting this. I have been a little overwhelmed in the last few days and this post really brought home to me how I can't do it all. All I need to do is place it in his hands and be amazed!
I feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders and I know he will do amazing things. (I have also written down "Bring it to me", as I feel a book germinating out of that...there's certainly a song in there, don't know exactly where the Lord will take that.)
Thanks for the reminder. Not that I don't know this to be true, God has shown me time and again that when I lay my burdens at His feet He takes much better care of me than I can of myself. Still, I have a lousy memory and He needs to nudge me every so often. This was one of those nudges. Have a great time at your cousins wedding. God bless you.
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