Good Afternoon, Sojourners. Sunday Inspirations, weekly feature here at Sojourner's Place, is just one way to help get us through the week ahead, the trials we may face, and yes, to say Thank Ya and testify!Years ago, I had an opportunity to attend a national religious youth convention in New York. We spent five days in the Big Apple visiting the Statue of Liberty, the United Nations, Times Square, and the Empire State Building. We enjoyed being able to buy a slice of pizza on the street and marveled at the size of the ice cream sundaes we capped the day off with at a corner diner near our hotel. We were just kids from the 'burbs' and had never really experienced the sites and sounds of a city quite like New York. It was much different from the city we were use to, the city the POTUS calls home. Things just didn't move that fast in Chi-town. We were awed by the constant sound of police sirens and we childishly gawked at the street-walkers having never knowingly seen one before. ::smile::
Madison Square Garden was the site of the final Sunday morning worship service. In our convention program, we were instructed to bring a package of cookies, juice or milk. We brought Oreos and milk.
About 45 minutes into the service, you could hear stomachs growling as no one had had an opportunity to eat. In fact, the program even instructed us not to; and if I recall correctly, the program even stated that refreshments would be provided. Anyway, the stomach of nearly 15,000 teenagers must have started growling all at the same time because the speaker started talking about how refreshments would soon be served as he began speaking about the Sermon on the Mount and the feeding of the 5000.
The speaker gave us all a different accounting of how the 5000 might have been fed. You see, from his account, it was the fish and the loaves of bread that kind of kicked things off. As the fish and bread were being passed around, people started sharing the food they'd brought to eat while hearing Jesus speak. This, according to the speaker, was the true miracle of sharing to make sure that no one left hungry.
We replicated that miracle that day. Feeding 15,000 teenagers of all races, all socio-economic backgrounds, and from every nook and cranny of this country. And as we shared our Oreo cookies and milk, I realized that when God blesses you it sure is hard not share the blessing - even if its Oreo cookies and milk.
Much Obliged...
Very Much Obliged to you for hearing me ~ ~
SjP
: Share the Truth!