Thankful Thoughts

Today we read Matthew 14-16.

In Matthew 14 an event takes place that is part of the inspiration for an ongoing, wonderfully influencing ministry in our church.  In Matthew 14.13-20 Jesus feeds 5,000 men and their families. Notice the end result in v.20- And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

God led us to this ministry through three different avenues.  The first one was my mother's influence. My mother started a food ministry years ago through her church and has always been willing to help anyone that came and asked.  I used to tell mother how a lot of those people probably did not need it and used the system.  However, she had the wisdom to know that there was need mixed in with the dishonest and God would 'weed' it out as He sees fit.  I was not a huge fan of that ministry because you don't know who you are ministering to...that is until God spoke to me about it.  I give Him all the credit.  I would never have come up with this.   However, the second influence was the story of the sheep and the goats.   Some of those verses burned in my gut in Matthew 25.35-40-
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'  37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
I believe the ministries that are listed are given to us by The Lord to be a part of.  Therefore, we have a feeding ministry each month when we give a bag of groceries to each family that comes on the third Tuesday at 6:30 PM.  We pray with them, counsel them spiritually, and give a bag.  We have a clothes closet for weary travelers that pass through from time to time.  We will wash their clothes for them, put them up for a night, feed them, and give them a new set of clothes for their journey (there is a God given story there too).  We visit the sick, have a ladies prison ministry, and look forward to doing more in that area.  I have a history of working with prisoners and law enforcement.

The third way God has led us in this ministry is through his way of doing it in the feeding of the 5,000.  He did not ask financial questions and did no background checks.  He organized them and feed them.  That is what we do.  IF we asked a bunch of those type questions, we could get funding, state food bank help, and attention through television food drives.  However, we chose to only ask spiritual questions and let The Lord provide.  So far through the generosity of FBC, private donors, a few can drives, a blessed farm grant that dropped out of heaven, a partnership with Grocer's Pride grocery store (they do a bunch to help us) and a little help from Wal-mart, we have given at least 600 bags of food each year for the last five years.  We give turkeys at Thanksgiving and hams at Christmas.

Why say all that?  I say that because as I read Matthew 14 today, I was thankful and reminded of how God blesses our efforts.  I am thankful for FBC and their willingness and voluntary service.  I am thankful to be a part of a church that loves Jesus and joins together in serving Him until He comes.

I am thankful this morning.