Can I have your lunch?

Last night was all about the ladies. I went to hang out with my friend Christy and her daughter Elizabel, and I guess we can count her tiny baby (not sure if it's a boy or girl, but Christy feels like saying boy) as the only man in attendance. Too bad Lizzy was not feeling well and was a bit cranky... But it is always great to just hang out with Christy and chat. Plus she made a mean pot roast last night!

We are just starting a new bible study with a small group of ladies, reading the book by Larry Crabb, "The PAPA Prayer." Haven't made it very far yet, but I really like it and hope it will make some positive changes in my prayer life. Christy also mentioned that she loves to listen to one of the AM stations here in town from 7:30 - 8:00 when they play a Focus on the Family broadcast. She even texted me this morning to let me know the right frequency, so I tuned in while I was stuck in traffic.

This morning, they played a message from a woman who works for a non-profit organization called Celebrate Life. They have programs in the juvenile justice system and public school sector that teach kids about abstinence, positive choices, and God's truth - all without using the religious terms that would get them in trouble. But her message really touched me as something that every Christian needs to hear.

She talked alot about accomplishing things with God's help that we ourselves are not capable of. Dreams that seem ridiculous, jobs that seem overwhelming, tasks that seem outrageous. When we are not able to do it, we become totally dependent on God's strength and his ability, and that's when he loves to rise to the occasion. We cannot do it without him, and he WILL NOT do it without us. She says that when God calls us to do things like that, we are living in the God space. Moses in front of the Red Sea, Abraham waiting for a sacrifice, David standing next to Goliath, Sampson in the temple. But my favorite scripture reference was when Jesus needed to feed a huge hungry crowd.

Can you imagine being one of the disciples? To have thousands and thousands of people in need of a meal, and Jesus tells you to go see what you can scrounge up? The boy they found was obviously living in poverty - barley loaves were small and inexpensive to make. Those two fish were probably more like sardines. That little boy could have held onto that meager meal and told them it wouldn't have made any difference to a group of that size. But he gave it up, perhaps with joy to see what Jesus could do with it. One blessing is all it took for it to multiply and meet the need of everyone there - with leftovers!

It seems to be everywhere in the news lately how disconnected the rich and the poor are in our country. Celebrities spend my entire month's salary on a few new outfits. People buy homes for millions of dollars and then can't afford their mortgage payments. Americans are willing to donate millions of dollars to presidential campaigns so it can be spent on ugly commercials and jet fuel for their candidates. We spend money to cure erectile disfunction, but don't think twice about the kids who don't have enough to eat every day. It certainly shows what our priorities are in the grand old U S of A.

I don't want to preach or point the finger at anyone. But I think it becomes easy to say that an average household doesn't feel like we can have any part in making a difference. If we are working so hard just to take care of ourselves, how can we be asked to do more for others? But that's exactly what we are called to do. Cameron, I hope that someday you will share that sweet passion with me. That your innocence will wonder why it is that we have what others do not.

God asks us every day if he can have our lunch. When he blesses us with something, he wants us to see what we can really live with and what we can live without. When we offer it back to him with joy, he can take it and do amazing things with it. And not just money! Our time, our talents, our love for others. When we feel like we just want to hog our lunch to ourselves, we miss out on the miracle.