By Swanson Soyars

“Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciple, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”(John 6:10-13)

Jesus emphasized “Let nothing be wasted, pick up and gather the broken pieces”, (broken promises and dreams of God over your life and the lives of others). The twelve baskets represent both the twelve tribes of Israel and the governmental authority of His kingdom.

Jesus did not pick up the pieces that were left over and or broken, He directed his disciples to pick them up, and place them in the government of His authority.

Just as Israel in the Old Testament was a representation of God’s order and or government in the lives of His people, Jesus came and presented a new order of government where both the law and covenant where completed in Him.

Today He asks us to pick up the broken promises and/or dreams for our lives and others, and place them in the basket of His authority.

God’s provision of both His spoken word and dreams for our life are always enough to meet our immediate need, fill us with a sense of belonging, of being loved, and having a God-given purpose. As we go through life we soon discover that hardships, circumstances, and/or choices we have made have somehow canceled out our dreams and/or destiny that once filled us with joy and anticipation.

Yet given Jesus’ example, we are directed to pick up and gather the broken promises of our lives, and those who are in our circle or may come into our circle of life. By faith we can prevail in our prayers as a starting point for this process to begin. If we assume the Word of God is living and active, and we are filled with the spirit of life (living) and truth, then we can surely handle and pick up God’s spoken word and/or dreams for our lives and others in prayer.

If God did not allow Samuel’s words to fall to the ground, and if His Word does not return to Him void, then do we not have the right to pick up and gather by faith broken dreams and promises spoken by God, place them back under His authority, and allow Him to breathe new life, or mend that which was broken?

So in fact, you are an agent for the restoration of dreams. You are one who can pick up what has been broken and help make it whole again. You may then soon find yourself encountering people in your circle of friends whose dreams are starting to become reality.

Rejoice!

“The LORD has done what He purposed; He has accomplished His word Which He commanded from days of old.”
(Lam 2:17a)