A Closer Look At the Feeding of the 5,000

  I have always loved the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. As my relationship with God grew deeper over the years, though, so did the way I perceived this amazing story.

            This story is the only one found in all four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The book I’m reading this story from today is Matthew.

            Many times, we equate the 5,000 people in the story with our circumstances and trials that seem too big for us to handle. Then, we look at Jesus in this story and are encouraged by how He took the paltry meal and multiplied it to feed thousands. A typical story of God’s power miraculously being displayed, right? That alone is an incredible story, but let’s go beyond the surface and look a little more closely at what Jesus did.

        In the Midst of Grief 

            Just before this story takes place, we see in Matthew 14:1-13 that His cousin, John the Baptist, was just beheaded by King Herod. At the start of today’s story, Jesus is told this sad news.

John was not only Jesus’ cousin, but also His forerunner, preparing the way for the long-awaited Messiah, His friend, and perhaps even His childhood playmate. This was a deeply saddening time for our Lord, as He not only grieved for John, but also possibly thought of His own death in the near future.

            As Jesus went to be alone, verse 13 says the crowds followed Him. I love verse 14: “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick” (NKJV). How loving is our Lord!

            Putting the people’s needs above His own grief for a moment, Jesus started to teach them as the crowds grew larger.

In Jesus’ Hands

In verses 15 and 16, we see that it was getting late, and the people were hungry. Jesus answered the disciples’ questions of what to do, “You give them something to eat!”

            Well, that should be an easy task…

            The only food they could find was a boy’s lunch that consisted of five loaves and two fish. Jesus replied in verse 18, “Bring them here to me.”

            Maybe you feel like all you have to offer is a measly five loaves and two fish. Perhaps you want God to use you in His kingdom, but you feel as though you have so little, if anything, to offer Him.

Take whatever you have to Jesus and watch Him work wonders with your “little.”

           This next part is my favourite. After arranging the crowds in groups and having them sit down, He took the food. Notice how everything that is about to happen happens in Jesus’ hands.

            He blessed it. He broke it. And He gave it.

            I want us to focus in on the breaking part. Sometimes when we give our lives or circumstances to God, it can feel like He is breaking it. For example, as soon as you trust God for something, it feels like that thing gets worse than it was before.

            Maybe that friend you’ve been asking God to heal is only getting worse. Maybe you’re struggling to make ends meet though you’re trusting God to provide you every need. Oftentimes, the breaking – the times when it seems it’s getting worse –comes before the multiplying, before the prosperity, before the blessing.

            This can be seen in Psalm 30:5 when weeping in the night came before the joy in the morning, and in Isaiah 61:3, when God gives beauty in exchange for what was formerly reduced to ashes.

            Look now at what Jesus did next: He gave the multiplied meal to the crowds bigger and better than it was before. All the thousands ate until they were fully satisfied and there were still 12 full baskets left over. (I personally thing Jesus wanted each of the disciples to have a doggie bag to take back with them. ;)

This was a blessing pressed down, shaken together, and running over. This is what happens when we give our loaves and fish, as meagre as they may seem, to God.

Conclusion

What do you feel is your small portion of loaves and fish? Let me encourage you to place it in His hands. Even when it feels like it’s getting worse before it gets better, trust that, in the end, our wonderful Lord will give you an abundant blessing to satisfy you.

            Let’s trust Him to do “exceedingly, abundantly, above all we dare ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) together.

            -Olivia

 

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