Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17)

It was not their first baby, so as the parents of 3-and-a-half-year-old twin boys, they felt everything was on course for the birth of their next child.  As it became evident that full labor was upon them, they loaded up the boys, packed bags and head to the sitter’s house then on to the hospital.

The situation became urgent when her water broke on their way to the sitter’s. Speeding, they got pulled over by the police.  The male officer was caught off guard when the husband explained that his wife’s water broke, but the officer’s partner, a woman, immediately understood and sent the family on their way. Stopping at the sitter’s was no longer an option. At the hospital in the birthing suite, while the doctors and nurses dealt with the imminent arrival of their sister, the boys watched TV.  During the labor, one of her boys turned to his mom and said, “Mom, sssshhhh!  We’re trying to watch TV!”

I’m sure there are times when I, like that 3-year-old, miss the fact that God is doing the miraculous because I’m too distracted or out of touch with God.  Not only do I miss out on something really cool, but I can also be a little annoyed with God for inconveniencing me! Like Elisha’s servant in the following verses, I need to have my eyes opened to what God is really doing around me.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17)

My prayer… “God, help me not to be distracted today. Open my eyes to what you are doing, to the miraculous.”

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Imagine her packing 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish and handing them to her young son. Probably not yet a teenager, the boy was anxious to go and join the crowd following Jesus. She would have had no idea what a life-changing event this would be for her son as he left to join the crowd of onlookers.

The story of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 is a familiar one. It was an exciting time 2000 years ago when great crowds of people followed Jesus because they saw miraculous healing of the sick. (John 6:1-14)

When the crowd became tired and hungry Jesus asked what food they had available. That young boy’s lunch was used in a miracle that we still read today.

I wonder if the boy’s Mom was in the crowd that day. A mother would have been concerned about the heat and the long day. She would have insisted her child eat the lunch she had prepared. She would want her child nourished. When Jesus asked his disciples about feeding the crowd would she have drawn the little boy back as he stepped forward to offer Andrew his own lunch?  Mother logic could possibly have blocked a miracle.

The little boy did step forward. He did offer his small lunch to the disciple of Jesus and the rest is history. Even Andrew wondered how so little food could even make an impact with this large crowd. Yet a miracle awaited. Jesus took the boy’s loaves, gave thanks and had them distributed to the crowd of over 5000!

Imagine the exciting story that boy went home with! There had even been twelve basketfuls of leftovers. The little boy must have been changed forever as he saw his small resource used greatly in the hands of Jesus. What a miracle!

As moms, it is often easy to let logic try to over-ride the sometimes-radical faith of our children. It’s been our job to stabilize, rationalize and energize our children as they have grown. To release them to be Jesus followers is not always easy. Sometimes it will look to us like they are giving up the very thing they need. Trusting Jesus with their hearts and their lives is what we are called to do.

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18:16).

Father God, thank you for recording this amazing little story for all time. Thank you for the hidden lesson of the mom who let her son go to follow Jesus. Help me today to release my children to You, whatever their ages, so that I might not hinder any work You are doing in their lives. Hold my mother heart in your hand. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Questions: Why do you suppose Jesus frequently used children to help to demonstrate who He was? What was the purpose of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000? What miracle has Jesus performed in your life recently?

Imagine her packing 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish and handing them to her young son. Probably not yet a teenager, the boy was anxious to go and join the crowd following Jesus. She would have had no idea what a life-changing event this would be for her son as he left to join the crowd of onlookers.

The story of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 is a familiar one. It was an exciting time 2000 years ago when great crowds of people followed Jesus because they saw miraculous healing of the sick. (John 6:1-14)

When the crowd became tired and hungry Jesus asked what food they had available. That young boy’s lunch was used in a miracle that we still read today.

I wonder if the boy’s Mom was in the crowd that day. A mother would have been concerned about the heat and the long day. She would have insisted her child eat the lunch she had prepared. She would want her child nourished. When Jesus asked his disciples about feeding the crowd would she have drawn the little boy back as he stepped forward to offer Andrew his own lunch?  Mother logic could possibly have blocked a miracle.

The little boy did step forward. He did offer his small lunch to the disciple of Jesus and the rest is history. Even Andrew wondered how so little food could even make an impact with this large crowd. Yet a miracle awaited. Jesus took the boy’s loaves, gave thanks and had them distributed to the crowd of over 5000!

Imagine the exciting story that boy went home with! There had even been twelve basketfuls of leftovers. The little boy must have been changed forever as he saw his small resource used greatly in the hands of Jesus. What a miracle!

As moms, it is often easy to let logic try to over-ride the sometimes-radical faith of our children. It’s been our job to stabilize, rationalize and energize our children as they have grown. To release them to be Jesus followers is not always easy. Sometimes it will look to us like they are giving up the very thing they need. Trusting Jesus with their hearts and their lives is what we are called to do.

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18:16).

Father God, thank you for recording this amazing little story for all time. Thank you for the hidden lesson of the mom who let her son go to follow Jesus. Help me today to release my children to You, whatever their ages, so that I might not hinder any work You are doing in their lives. Hold my mother heart in your hand. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Questions: Why do you suppose Jesus frequently used children to help to demonstrate who He was? What was the purpose of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000? Has Jesus performed a miracle in your life recently?

About the Author Gail Rodgers

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, Created to Become like Christ, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog