It's Raining

Years ago, I heard a preacher once say "If you've been praying it's going to rain, take an umbrella."

This has stuck with me ever since.

So many times I pray with such little faith and when "it" happens I am shocked that it does.  How faithless of me!  I need to pray, pouring out my needs before the throne of God and trusting that He will take care of them, whatever the end result is.

I was doing my homework for our ladies Bible study when I was reminded of God working in our life through the story of the 5 loaves and 3 fishes.

Go with me to John 6:1-15

"...And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 

Here are a few thoughts that were brought to my attention in our Bible study:

That boy had only 5 loaves and 2 small fishes. The loaves were a poor man's meal. This was nothing. 

God will take that nothing and make a feast, BUT you have to be willing to let Him take it all from you before you get invited to the feast.

Then Jesus made everyone sit. Usually while we are waiting for God to work, we pace back in forth, telling all who will hear our dilemma. We question, we rant, we accuse God, but do we sit? Do we rest in His care?

After He fully fed them, He gave them "over and above" what they had needed.

God cares! (Matthew 6:25-32)  He cares for YOU!

So when you pray, be willing to let Him take everything.  Sit down and rest in His care. ...and take an umbrella, because when it rains, it will rain over and above what you can imagine. - Rejoicing in the Present