Matthew 15:32-37 (NLT) Then Jesus called His disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with Me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.” The disciples replied, “Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?” Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have? “They replied, “Seven loaves, and a few small fish.”
So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd. They all ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food.
Observation
Jesus presents a need to His disciples born of compassion and care. This crowd is 4000 men plus women and children, which could easily bring the crowd over 10,000. In the previous chapter, Jesus fed a crowd of at least 5000, walked out to their boat on the water, had Peter walk on the water, saved Peter from drowning, and calmed the turbulent seas. After all that, His disciples could have said, “Okay, here’s what we have to contribute to the cause. We trust you to make it enough. Let’s start handing it out”. But they don’t.
Instead, they state the impossibility of complying with Jesus’ request from a human standpoint. “Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?” Jesus then asks, what they bring to this table (have to offer) to help meet the need. “Not enough,” is their reply. Jesus then proceeds to send them out to take their insufficient supply to meet the overwhelmingly impossible need. He used their hands and their “not enough” in hand to deliver the miraculous provision. In the end, the leftovers are much more than what they had to offer to meet the need in the beginning.
Impact on Me
It is easy for me to be amazed at their lack of faith. After all, they have seen Jesus overcome the impossible with their own eyes many times. However, if I am honest with myself, I find myself in this same place so many times. I can recount many miracles that I have experienced (seen with my own eyes) in my life. Yet, how many times do I see an overwhelming need born of compassion and then become discouraged when I look at what I have to offer? In this, I limit God by attempting to meet the need with only what can be humanly brought to the table. Jesus is not limited by what we bring, but only by what we will offer to Him for His use.
How many times have I allowed my faith to shrink and my courage to fail because I thought, “This is all I have, Lord, and it is not enough!”. Why doesn’t my faith, the trust born of the experience of Christ in me, lift up what little I have and say, “Lord, here is what I have. It is Yours. Use it and me as You will to meet this need. Nothing is impossible for You.” The best thing I bring to the table is faith and obedience. When I do, He has always been faithful to deliver exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask or think. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Devotion
Lord God, Eternal, All Powerful, Miracle Worker, Never Changing, I worship You. You stay the course with me regardless of how many side trips I take from Your pathway set before me. Please remind me always that I am not the real answer to any need; You are the only answer to them all. May I always remember that it is not what I bring to Your table, but, rather, how freely and completely I offer it up and allow You to use it. I pray that You will use me as You used Your disciples to distribute Your grace, healing, provision, love, mercy. BUT never let me forget that I am just the servant distributing what You provide. In Jesus’ name, I pray.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 