God Loves Leftovers

“When they were full, He told His disciples, ‘collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.’ So they collected them and filled 12 baskets with pieces from what was left over by those who had eaten.” John 6:12-13

Everybody was full and satisfied. Jesus told them to collect the leftovers or were remain. The did and they were left over with 12 baskets. The food and remains were blessed by God and were greater than they could imagine. Each disciple had MORE to take away than what they started with.

God is not just the God of everything you and I have. He is not the God of what you or I have lost. He is the God of everything that remains. He is the God of what is left over. He can take our leftovers and fill 12 baskets or do more than He did before we had leftovers. He can do more with what you have left over or what remains.

What’s left after the fire that you’ve been in? All the good seems gone. Black, shimmering ashes is what’s left. God will give us beauty for those ashes that remain.

What’s left over after the flood that you thought you had drowned in? God gave us the beautiful rainbow and sparkling sand. God gave us rainbows from what remains from a storm. Not only that, but Noah and his family are what remained after the earth was flooded. They were the only ones left on the earth and that was a blessing.

What about leftovers or remains from good things? What if you just ate the best meal in the world by the greatest chef and it was so delicious and you have leftovers. Yum! The remains are leftovers that taste even more delicious than the first time.

What’s left over is what remains. Remains are scraps or fragments of what’s left over. It’s the extra. We tend to think of what’s leftover or what remains as not as good as what we started with but Jesus told the disciples to gather the leftovers, what remained, so that nothing was wasted.

Many of us have instances in our lives when we feel like we’ve eaten and all we have left is scraps or leftovers. We would just leave what remains on the ground or throw them out. Leaving the remains on the ground says we have eaten and had enough and are done but God can bless what remains.

In II Kings, there was a widow who had nothing left, “except a jar of oil.” (vs. 2) God could use what she had left - what she saw as not enough. She used up the only oil she had by pouring it in into many jars that she had borrowed. She poured and filled until she had enough to pay her debt and with what was left, she and her sons lived on. God had blessed her small amount of oil or what remained. It was enough.

After you’ve tried to live life the best you can and you’re “satisfied” or don’t feel like you have enough, give Him your leftovers and He will bless what remains. He will turn your 5 baskets into 12 full baskets. In each area of your life, there will remain more than what you started with. Nothing is wasted by God. The remains will all be usable. “Now to him who is able to do above all that we ask or think.” Eph. 3:20 He is able to do more than we could imagine with our leftovers or remains.

Don’t find sadness in what you have or what was lost but find joy in what remains. If you have experienced loss or being just enough, hang onto what remains. It’s enough! It will be blessed. He can turn your leftovers or remains into overflow!