Sufficient in His Hands

Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.

— Matthew 14:19

 

A little boy was asked what his favorite Bible story was. He said, "I like the one where everyone loafs and fishes." That is not exactly what happened with the Feeding of the Five Thousand, but it is a great story.

Jesus was at the peak of His ministry during this time, and His popularity was spreading. Multitudes of people were anxiously following Him. A large crowd had gathered to hear Him, and they were hungry.

The Other Side of Compassion

"But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval."

— John 6:27

 

The day after the miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Jesus taught the crowd about the most important things of life. He said, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. 

 

Using God

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

— Colossians 3:23–24

 

Sometimes people will attempt to use God for personal gain. They will invoke the name of Jesus Christ when they need something from people who believe in Him. Politicians are very fond of this.

Long Lines

I don't know about you, but I am not a fan of long lines.

When I am at the supermarket, I will even go to the 12-items-or-less line, so I don't have to wait. The problem is that I usually need to get more than 12 items, but I do it anyway, just so I don't have to wait in another line!

Of course, I will still count the number of items the person in front of me is buying!

Our Generous God

The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.

— Proverbs 11:25

 

The amazing thing in the story about the Feeding of the Five Thousand is how the miracle was done. God could have done it any way He wanted. It could have rained bread from heaven. But He did it through natural means. The supernatural worked through the natural.