We're now half way through my series on "The Miracles of God" which I can't quite believe! For June, I thought I would take a look at the miracle found in Matthew 14 when Jesus fed thousands of people with just a few fish and some loaves.
I pray this short poem and meditation can encourage us to bring our own "small offerings" before God today and trust Him to do the miracle of multiplication. Small offerings are not an issue for our God! May we take what we have and make it available for Kingdom service today! Love Lucy x
The Miracles Of God- Jesus Feeds The Five Thousand
Matthew 14:13-21
“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. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 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.”
But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
He said, “Bring them here to Me.”
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. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
“Jesus fed the thousands, and all were satisfied. I pray this short poem and meditation can encourage us to bring our own "small offerings" before God today and trust Him to do the miracle of multiplication. Small offerings are not an issue for our God! May we take what we have and make it available for Kingdom service today! Love Lucy x
The Miracles Of God- Jesus Feeds The Five Thousand
Matthew 14:13-21
“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. And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 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.”
But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
He said, “Bring them here to Me.”
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. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Lord, multiply our “loaves and fish!” May God be glorified!
Help us bring the things we have and place them in Your hands.
Then watch as You perform great works, according to Your plans!”
1 Peter 4:10-11
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Colossians 3:23-24
“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.”
Insight and Reflection
It’s so moving to read at the beginning of this passage that Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitude of people. His empathy and kindness towards them were so great that He spent hours healing and teaching the crowd. His gracious compassion for the demanding throng was really quite remarkable, and as theologian William Barclay once wrote,
“Jesus had come to find peace and quiet and loneliness; instead, He found a vast crowd eagerly demanding what He could give. He might so easily have resented them. What right had they to invade His privacy with their continual demands?”
Instead of being resentful, however, Jesus was stirred at the deepest level in His very core and felt overwhelming love and compassion towards the people. His direction to His disciples, “You give them something to eat,” would have posed a challenge to their own compassion, as well as their faith. If they had brought to mind the miracle He had already performed with the wine in Cana, they wouldn’t have asked Him to send the crowd away. Instead, it’s highly likely that they would have instantly asked Jesus to meet the people’s needs, knowing full well He is more than capable of this.
I think this is a relatable situation, though. So often in life, when we’re facing a new, seemingly impossible challenge, it can be too easy to forget how we’ve already witnessed God’s power and provision work in the past. It’s encouraging to read that even the disciples of Christ were prone to doing this, and they too needed gentle reminders from their Saviour to step out in faith and trust Him to do the miracle.
All the disciples were asked to do was bring what had already been made available to them (even the small and seemingly insufficient things), place them in the hands of the Lord and trust Him to bring the multiplication.
So let’s ask ourselves today:
What can I place in the hands of the Lord to be used for His Kingdom and His glory? What gifts, skills, resources or expertise have been made available to me that I can bring before Him as an offering? Is there anything that I think is too small or insufficient for God to use? In light of Jesus’ miracle performed in Matthew 14, does this change my perspective on the “loaves and fish” in my hands and what they could achieve if given to God?
May we never listen to the lie of the enemy that says our offerings aren’t enough. I pray we can be grateful and satisfied with what our Saviour has already given to us and use our precious lives to be about our Father’s business.
May our hearts be filled with the compassion of Christ for the needs of those around us, and our souls filled with confident faith that God can work powerfully in every situation. Whatever offerings we have to bring before His Throne today, I pray we bring them in all humility and with confidence, knowing that if they’re committed to God for His glory, they will always be used.
