Bigger Baskets
No great day exists in the Kingdom of God without us seeing and celebrating God's abundance. "Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over" – Matt 15: 37 Let me share with you something small but significant that I learned recently about the baskets that were used to collect the leftovers from the miracle of the 4000 as recorded here in Matthew 15. There are two words used for baskets in the New Testament.
One word was used at the feeding of the 5,000, and it speaks to well, a 'basket size' basket (kranion)… something you'd take on a picnic or put on the front of a bike. We read in that story of the feeding of the 5,000 that 12 of these size baskets were filled with leftovers. The second word used for basket in scripture, the one used in feeding the 4,000, is a different word. It is 'spuris,' which refers to a larger kind of basket - a hamper. We don't know how large this basket was, but we know that they were large enough to hold a person.
In Acts 9:25, we read that the Apostle Paul was lowered from the roof of a house in a 'spuris'… the same basket used in this miracle. The point is this, from the seven rolls; seven huge 'people carrying' hampers were used to collect the leftovers! As modern-day disciples, we must realize that any great day in the Kingdom allows us to see God's lavish abundance. God is not in the business of giving enough; God is in the business of giving more than enough – such is his lavish generosity. We are reminded again that we can never, ever out-give God.
The Apostle Paul, in his exhortation to the Ephesians, gets lost in this glorious truth as he worshipfully prays and proclaims (Eph 3:20-21) – Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Through Jesus, God has so much more for us than we can ever imagine. Seek and celebrate God's abundance.
One word was used at the feeding of the 5,000, and it speaks to well, a 'basket size' basket (kranion)… something you'd take on a picnic or put on the front of a bike. We read in that story of the feeding of the 5,000 that 12 of these size baskets were filled with leftovers. The second word used for basket in scripture, the one used in feeding the 4,000, is a different word. It is 'spuris,' which refers to a larger kind of basket - a hamper. We don't know how large this basket was, but we know that they were large enough to hold a person.
In Acts 9:25, we read that the Apostle Paul was lowered from the roof of a house in a 'spuris'… the same basket used in this miracle. The point is this, from the seven rolls; seven huge 'people carrying' hampers were used to collect the leftovers! As modern-day disciples, we must realize that any great day in the Kingdom allows us to see God's lavish abundance. God is not in the business of giving enough; God is in the business of giving more than enough – such is his lavish generosity. We are reminded again that we can never, ever out-give God.
The Apostle Paul, in his exhortation to the Ephesians, gets lost in this glorious truth as he worshipfully prays and proclaims (Eph 3:20-21) – Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Through Jesus, God has so much more for us than we can ever imagine. Seek and celebrate God's abundance.
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