When God asks a ‘where’ question don’t reply with a ‘how’ answer
I am blessed to attend two churches that both have wonderful ministers who preach the Word.
But I still enjoy listening when we have a guest speaker. Rev. John Stewart of Emergency Relief & Development Overseas (ERDO) preached on the feeding of the 5000. This miracle was recorded in all four gospels — Mark 6:31–44; Matthew 14:13–21; and John 6:1–15.
The “where” question
In the gospel of John, Jesus asks His disciples where they should buy bread?
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. (John 6:5–6, NIV)
The “how” answer
The disciple, Philip, answers Jesus with an explanation of how expensive it would be to buy bread for 5000 people.
Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7 NIV)
Rev. John Stewart preached that when Jesus asks us a “where” question, a “how” answer won’t solve it.
I’ve been guilty of this myself. Instead of saying, “I don’t know, Lord, but count me in on Your plan” I’ve wracked my brain for ideas and creative solutions to my problems. This wrong thinking assumes God doesn’t already have the answer.
All Jesus needs is for us to say Yes to whatever plan He may have and be willing to sacrifice something to join Him.
Instead of acting like Philip, God wants us to act like the little boy. The boy was willing to give what he had (as little as it was) to God.
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:8–9, NIV)
This little boy’s sacrifice opened the door to a miracle. When we say yes to God and partner with Him we are opening our life to miracles.
When God asks you a “where” question don’t reply with a “how” answer but trust Him for a miracle.