March 1: 5 small loaves, 2 small fish
John 6:1-24 TNIV from biblegateway.com
1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered him, “It would take almost a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
Devotional Comments:
That was all they had, 5 small loaves of bread and 2 small fish. At our house that wouldn’t go very far. And even though some days it sounds like there are 5000 hungry people waiting to eat around our table I can’t imagine how insignificant that amount of food would have seemed on that mountainside nearly 2000 years ago.
Tired from teaching and healing, Jesus and His disciples had retreated, seeking rest. When the crowds followed, seeking Jesus, He chose to feed them, to care for them, to love them. A boy brought what he had, meager as it was, and offered it to Jesus who took it. Jesus gave thanks and then the bread and fish were distributed and everyone had enough to eat. And there were leftovers!
It is so easy to be overwhelmed, to see all the need in the world and give up. Jesus is still looking for people who will bring what they have, insufficient as it may seem and give it to Him, with thanksgiving and faith. Then be ready to take it back, believing it will have been multiplied, trusting in our sufficient God.
What can we bring?
Kevin & Amber Link
Pray that God would use your gifts to help meet the needs of the world.