Pick Up The Pieces

John 6:12
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”

When I was a child you didn’t throw away food. Leftovers became tomorrow's dinner. Food was too hard to come by to be wasting anything. When you sat down for dinner you could get all you wanted but you better want all you got. My dad would say, “dont’ let your eyes be bigger than your stomach.” If there was anything left we had to pick up the pieces because we could use them to get us through rougher days when we might not have the same abundance that we had on payday. Some of you know what it’s like trying to stretch your money and food out from one pay period to the next.

Great Grandmama taught us how to pick up the pieces when she made dresses or clothes for the kids. If she had any material left over she made quilts to cover us and keep us warm. Whatever God provides you, make sure you pick up the pieces because you will need them later.

One day Jesus had a multitude of people who followed him because they heard he could heal the sick. When it was lunch time he had about 5 thousand plus staring at him with hungry bellies. One of his disciples said, “Send these people home, if we worked 8 months to feed these people we wouldn’t make enough for each of them to get a piece of bread.” Then another disciple found a little boy with a lunch bag consisting of 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. The disciple said, “How can this small meal feed so many?” Some of you have the same question today, here’s how you pick up the pieces:

1. Make the people sit down. Miracles take place when we all sit at the feet of Jesus. Many people miss miracles because they stop coming to church. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name there I will be in the midst.” Where Jesus is and we are sitting together there you will find miracles that meet your needs. This Sunday come to church and sit in worship with your unmet needs, with your hunger, and watch God provide. Jesus said, “Those that hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied!”

2. Put the little bit that you do have in Jesus’ hands and watch him multiply it. The little boy gave up his lunch to feed more people than they had food. The generosity of this child sparked a miracle. Sometimes, what we think is our last is really what God wants to use for a miracle that leads to leftovers. God loves a cheerful giver. It’s not equal giving it’s equal sacrifice that God honors.

3. Pick up the Pieces after your miracle. When you sit at Jesus feet in worship and give him what little you have get ready for the miracle you need from God. After he blesses you make sure you pick up the pieces. When the disciples picked up the pieces they had 12 baskets of barley loaves. That was one basket for each disciple. When they got to a place where there was no food guess what they ate off, the leftovers. Pick up your pieces!

Dear God,

Thank you for my pieces. My pieces gave me peace when I was in a hungry season. You gave me just what I needed when I needed it. Work a miracle for every hungry person, every unemployed person and make it stretch until their next season of more than enough. Thank you for the pieces. Give us this day our daily bread. Thank you Lord for making a way out of no way!

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen.