Mensa Otabil - Gather the Fragments (10/10/2025)
Each year, we start the year with a theme. Last year, 2022, our theme was «Increase,» and this year our theme is «Gathering.» It’s actually a continuation of our theme from last year because they are taken from the same scripture: Jesus multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish. That is the increased aspect of it. After he had done that, he had multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish, and the people had eaten (John 6: 12 — 13). So when they were filled, he said to his disciples, «Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.» Therefore, they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. «Gather up the fragments, that nothing is lost.»
We are looking at this theme as a continuation of increase, especially in the world we find ourselves in after COVID, where much has been lost, and people feel that all they have are fragments of their life, fragments of their church, fragments of a business-fragments of whatever is left. You might think that it’s not worth it, but God-Jesus-said, «Don’t let the fragments be abundant; gather them up.» This year, we want to pay attention to little things. Whatever is left over may not seem to be much, but no wastage and no loss. We’re going to gather up the fragments. We’re going to reach out; we’re going to touch lives. He says when you gather up the fragments, the reason is that nothing must be lost.
It’s very easy, in the midst of abundance, to let things be lost, like the people did in the midst of so much food; they wasted so much. But it’s also very easy in scarcity, when you don’t have much, to let things be lost because you think what you have is not much. It’s like somebody who has just one penny in his hand and needs a hundred pennies. It’s very easy to throw away the one penny and just lose it. So many times, when we’re dealing with life, we wish we had abundance to deal with life’s problems, but sometimes all that God wants you to do is put the pieces together. Gather up the fragments; put all your strength, your assets, your resources, your friends, your network-all of it together-and you’ll be surprised at the number of baskets you can fill all over again.
As we see in that statement, they filled 12 baskets with fragments. Who would have thought that in an environment where it seemed everything was wasted, there were 12 baskets that could be filled? So this year, we want to be very mindful of the resources we have-nothing must be lost and nothing must be wasted. Part of gathering is also reaching out to people to bring them to Christ and to restore relationships that are destroyed. Whatever has been fragmented, we’re going to try to work at it.
Now, a theme for the year is not a magical word; it doesn’t solve our problems, but it gives us a context with which we can manage our lives and act accordingly. So in 2023, we are gathering-we are gathering up fragments. We are gathering that which has been scattered; we are gathering that which is broken; we are gathering souls that need Christ. Whatever needs gathering must be gathered-nothing is too small to be gathered, whether in abundance or in scarcity. We have to gather, and may the Lord give us the grace so that at the end of this year, we can say we have our 12 baskets of little pieces we put together and see what the Lord has done.
Let us pray. With me: Heavenly Father, you have given me so much; grant me the wisdom to preserve your blessings in my life. In Jesus' name, amen and amen. So my friend, nothing is too much, and nothing is too little. Whatever God has given to you, put it together and let’s conserve, because there are 12 baskets that need to be filled. I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.