Surrender Myself

I imagine Matthew 14:13-21 went something like this:

“Something is in the air—I can smell it,” Nathan murmured as a breeze filtered through the window.

“Hmm,” Mother remarked. “Maybe it’s a storm brewing over the lake.”

“It’s not that, Mother,” he insisted. “Do you see all the people walking by? Something is happening.”

Upon further investigation, Nathan was right—an intriguing, miracle-working Stranger was in the area, and people of every description were tramping in one direction. “Pleeease, can I go to see Him?” Nathan begged. “I want to hear Him speak.”

Nathan’s mother paused. “Hold on long enough for me to pack you a lunch.” Before long she had a basket in her hand with a few loaves and two small fish. “Here you go, Nathan—do be careful. Don’t be gone too long!”

Finding Jesus wasn’t difficult. Thousands of people crowded around Him, surrounded by a field of wildflowers and tall grasses overlooking the beautiful lake. Nathan got as close to the Teacher as he dared and then sat down to listen. He listened so well that when a disciple of Jesus approached him, he barely noticed. “Pardon me, young man,” a kind voice said. “Would you be willing to share your lunch with the Master?”

Nathan swallowed as he nodded and suddenly realized how empty his stomach felt. “But it’s not much—just five loaves and two small fish.”

The disciple smiled. “It’s enough.”

Nathan blinked. When he thought of the priests with their costly robes, pompous words, and countless rules, he never felt good enough for God. But the disciple’s words spelled out a new sort of hope—one that said God wouldn’t refuse the smallest gift when it came from the heart.

You are a vessel; He is the treasure. Together you make a wonderful team!

His eyes followed his lunch as it passed into Jesus’ hands. When the kind Teacher smiled and locked eyes with his young face, Nathan sensed that Jesus knew everything about him and loved him still. There’s no other way to describe it! Nathan marveled.

Jesus prayed a blessing over the lunch and then began to break the loaves into pieces. Nathan’s eyes grew wide with astonishment—by now his mother’s five loaves should have been used up. Yet Jesus’ hands continued to draw out more loaves and fish. Thousands of people sat on the hillside and ate their fill!

Nathan gripped a barley loaf in his hands and inspected it. I’m holding a miracle, he thought to himself. And to think that Jesus used what little I had to make it happen!

Maybe sometimes you’ve been tempted to think that your life doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. But if Jesus fed more than 5,000 with a little boy’s lunch, what do you think He can do with your life if you give it to Him?

Nathan didn’t have to “grow up” to do some big thing for God. The gift of his lunch—and the gift of his heart—may have seemed small, but were priceless in Jesus’ eyes. So what about you? Will you give Him your moments? Nothing is too large—or too small—to give to Jesus.

When you surrender yourself to Him, you are allowing His mighty power to work through you. This is how we can have “treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7). You are a vessel; He is the treasure. Together you make a wonderful team!