When I was a boy we had to memorize the multiplication table in the second grade. It was tedious, but it was the way I learned how to learn new things and commit them to memory. I understand it is still taught in later grades now, but as a chart for reference and not something that must be memorized. Why bother when they can push a few buttons on a calculator or computer to get the answer. I can still multiply, divide, add and subtract without a calculator after all of these years, while most youngsters can’t. I can also remember other things I’ve committed to memory like Bible verses, song lyrics and quotes from people smarter than I am. Two Bible stories brought this topic to mind. They illustrate how great God is at multiplication.
The first story is found in 2 Kings 4:1-7. The widow of one of the prophets came to Elisha for help. A creditor was threatening to take her two sons into slavery for payment of her debt. Elisha asked, “Tell me, what do you have in your house?” She replied, “Nothing at all, but a flask of olive oil.” He told her to find and borrow all of the empty jars or containers she could; then pour the oil from the flask into them until they were full. When the last container was full, the oil stopped flowing from the flask. She told Elisha what happened and he told her to sell the olive oil and pay off the creditor; she and her sons could then live on what was left. God took what she had and multiplied it to meet her needs with some left over.
The second story is found in John 6:5-13. A large crowd of 5,000 men not counting women and children followed Jesus into a remote area where he sat on a hillside teaching them. Jesus asked Phillip about feeding the people. Phillip told Jesus even if all of the disciples worked for months they still couldn’t afford to buy food for all of those people. Then Andrew said, “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fishes. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes then broke them up and had the disciples distribute them to the crowd. Everyone had their fill and the disciples collected twelve baskets of leftovers. God took what they had and multiplied it to meet their needs with some left over.
You are probably asking yourself, “What does all of this have to do with me or my Christian life?” God has a way of taking what you have and not just increasing it, but multiplying it to meet your needs. I cannot count the times when I was sure our income would not cover our expenses; but in answer to our prayers God covered our needs with some left over. So, my dear Christian brother or sister, with a thankful heart count the blessings you already possess and then watch God multiply them to meet and exceed your needs.