Matthew 14:17-18 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” He said. And He directed the people to sit down on the grass”.
In engineering, ‘Tension Force’ is the force acting through a rope that is pulled tightly from both ends. In life we go through many stressful situations where we feel we are torn between two ends. The tension in a relationship, stress in a high performance job, business bumps, pressure in building a family, bringing up children, demands of the society, health challenges and the list goes on. ‘Tension Force’ causes mental, relationship or health breakdowns. When stress in the family or finance becomes unmanageable the tension breaks the rope causing serious emotional, financial, relationship and health ruptures.
How did Jesus handle ‘tension force’? How did He deal with the stress of material needs and social demands? All four gospels talk about the astounding miracle of Jesus feeding the multitudes with five loaves and two fish. The multitude followed Jesus into a wilderness where Jesus and His disciples withdrew for a retreat. Soon the small getaway place turned into a huge crusade with five thousand men, their wives and children. The crowds heard the preaching of Jesus all day and were stranded in a solitary place, in the middle of nowhere. It was late in the evening and the throng was hungry, tired and weary. The disciples were stressed and even upset that the people stole their time with Jesus and urged Jesus to send them home but Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat” (vs 16).
A difficult circumstance or a challenge can cause tension, stress and anxiety. Don’t let the circumstance and challenge break you. Allow Jesus to take over one end of the rope and the challenge/crisis on the other end will cower and turn in your favour. The tension force will then give us the thrust to fly higher.
WWJD:
1. Tension: Our actions and reactions to stress will break the rope but if we give the tension into the hands of Jesus He will use the tension to bring about expansion. Stop worrying about your problem. Repeat God’s Word, “Do not be anxious about anything” until the stress turns into a song.
2. Tithing: Don’t stop giving. Jesus took the little that they had before He could multiply. The secret to multiplication is by giving the little that we have, our talents, time, treasures and titles into His hands.
3. Thanking: Tension will lead us to the treasure-house when we thank and praise Him through the stress and the strain. He gave thanks and broke the loaves (vs 19b). Thanksgiving is the formula for multiplication. Thank God for your job, boorish boss and garrulous co-worker. Thank God for the people in your lives and even the pressure that you are going through. Thanksgiving alleviates tension and turns it into a testimony.
WWJD – Thanksgiving wheels us into the treasure-house.
Matthew 14:20a They all ate and were satisfied.
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, help me to be thankful always in all times and turn the tension-force into a treasure-house and testimony. Amen.
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