Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a problem/opportunity set before you? I have/often am/will be again in the future.

In all four Gospels we find a similar situation that the Disciples faced. After a long day of teaching, healing, and doing other signs and wonders for a group of probably 15,000 to 25,000 men, women, and children, Jesus tested the understanding and faith of His Disciples by asking them to feed the gathering of people.

Let’s hear what the Word of the LORD would say to us today.

Jesus Feeds 5,000 Mark 6:31–44; Luke 9:11–17; John 6:1–13

13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”
16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
18 He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. 20 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. 21 Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. [1] – Matthew 14:13-21

What sort of challenge has the LORD presented you? Does it seem insurmountable or impossible? Well, if it’s actually from the LORD, it probably is impossible for man alone to accomplish – that, historically (according to the Word of God), is how God works – He puts people in situations that it would be impossible for them to accomplish without Him – so that situation can become a testimony of His power and His Faithfulness – so that those who witness the miraculous end result will know that He is the LORD.

I’m reading through Matthew right now; therefore, that’s where today’s text comes from, but a parallel account in the Gospel of John gives us a little more insight into the options we have when faced with a situation such as this. Let’s look at how Phillip and Andrew responded to the command of Jesus to feed the multitude.

7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii [a denarius was a Roman silver coin that was worth 10 donkeys; therefore, 200 denarii = 2,000 donkeys] worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” [2] – John 6:7-9

Phillip spoke out of hopelessness – Andrew spoke out of half-hearted faith and opportunity. Now did Andrew believe that Jesus could feed the multitude with such a small amount? Probably not, but he did have the faith to bring what little he saw before them forward anyway, and after it was brought forward, Jesus bridged the gap between impossiblity and reality.

So again, I’ll ask the question, what impossible situation has the LORD set before you that? What are you going to do – be sarcastic in despair or optimistic with what little you do have to bring to the table? The Word of God assures us that if the situation is from the LORD, whatever we bring to Him will be enough to get the job done.

Father, You are our God – our Savior – our Provider, help us to remember that if You present a situation You will also make success possible. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray – Amen.

Semper Fidelis,
Jesse

The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 14:13–21.
The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Jn 6:7–9.

Bible · Bible Devotion · Jesus · Jesus feeds 5000 · overwhelmed · Word of God