Up & Outናሙና

HE USES BROKEN THINGS - Devotion with Ps Karolina Gunsser

The remarkable story of the loaves and the fishes comes to mind when I consider our new theme for 2023, Up & Out. Let me share four thoughts out of this passage as we wrap our hearts around the 2023 theme for our church family.

1. Give it to Jesus

I love that this young boy didn’t hesitate at the diminished size of his contribution. I wonder how many of us hesitate to give God what we have because we feel it’s inadequate, insufficient, or even laughable. The truth is Jesus had a crowd of multiple thousands to feed in front of Him, and a small boy brought his small lunch as a solution, and Jesus accepted.

This year, it will take faith and obedience to bring what you have to Jesus. Resist the temptation to underestimate what you have. Everything Jesus needs, you already have in your possession – just bring it to Jesus, and He’ll do the rest.

2. Follow His gaze

In verse 19, we see Jesus look up towards heaven and bless the offering. We must always turn our gaze upwards. Every morning, every evening, and all throughout the day. Let us follow Jesus’ example in turning our sights to heaven.

Look up! Always look up!

Look up and be blessed.

May heaven be your first line of sight.

3. Let Him break it

I’ve learned that the Lord only ever uses broken things. He broke the little boy’s lunch. The woman with the Alabaster jar had to break that vessel to pour out her offering. Jesus’ own body was broken. And right through the Old Testament, every sacrifice had to be broken to become valid. We bring our best and our broken to Him. And it’s always exactly what is needed.

Every morning I lay out, the pieces of my life on the altar and wait for Your fire to fall. Psalm 5:3

This is the way we should and can live our lives in 2023. Lay out the broken pieces of your life every morning and allow His work to do what it needs to do in and through your life.

4. Let Him use it

We see Jesus look up, bless the bread, break the bread and then give the bread away to be distributed among the people.

It cannot be helped. When we set our eyes upward, the Lord grows our hearts for people. We are blessed when we realise that our lives are not our own. Could 2023 be the year of being given away so that others may live? The substance of our lives could nourish the souls around us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

As I head into 2023, help me give all that I have to Jesus, looking fully heavenward, allowing Him to break the offering I give, and then willingly releasing myself to be the substance and the nourishment of the world around me.

Help me to perpetually look up and out this year.

Amen