July 25, 2023

John 6: 26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.” (NIV)

If you only know what He has done for you, then you have not a big enough God.*

God has blessed me with everything I need and abundantly more than I could think to ask for. I am deeply grateful for his provision for which I express my thanks daily. Not a bad thing. But in this passage, we have a crowd of people who are seeking Jesus because he just fed them. Do they want to know more about him, or do they just want more food?

When the Lord provides our daily bread, it is right to be thankful. But are we like these people who were looking for Jesus because of an experience that benefited only them? What if, instead of being recipients of his abundance, we were merely observers of his miraculous works in the lives of others? Would we look for him then? What if our physical needs are met, not with plenty, but with just enough? Would we still love him?

Jesus’ miracles were crucial to his ministry, but his ministry was about meeting spiritual needs, not physical ones. We may not be able to perform miraculous signs, but how we use our physical blessings can turn them into spiritual blessings for others – sort of like a miracle!

Be thankful that you are well-fed, physically and spiritually. But learn to look beyond what Jesus does for you personally and become a part of his ministry of miraculous signs to others.

One of God’s main purposes in blessing you is so you can then touch others in ways that move them closer to Him.*