Read:

Matthew 14:13-21                     John 06:01-14

1 Samuel 17:34-57                              Exodus 14:10-31                     1 Kings 17:04-24

All four Gospels carry the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 men. However we note in John’s account we have in verse 9 an additional note to the story, not mentioned in the other Gospels, a statement by Andrew. “There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley and two fish, but they will certainly not be enough for all these people.    

Then in Matthew’s account verses 15 –18 we read, “That evening His disciples came to Him and said, it is very late and this is a lonely place. Send the people away and let them go to the villages to buy food for themselves”. Jesus responds by saying ,”They don’t have to leave. You yourselves given them something to eat” and the disciples reply, “All we have here are five loaves and two fishes”. “Then bring them here to me, said Jesus”.

How hopeless and inadequate these few loaves and fish appeared to be when faced by a crowd of over 5000.

In an Old Testament story we read about another boy, in 1 Samuel 17:34-57 where in verse 39-40 it reads “I can’t fight with all this, he said to Saul. So he took it (Saul’s armour) all off. He took his shepherd’s stick and then picked up five stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his catapult ready, he went out to meet Goliath. When ridiculed by Goliath, David boldly said, verse 45, “You are coming against me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied”. Equally how imperfect and inadequate the young boy, David must have seemed when faced by the Philistine army and the giant Goliath.

There are many more miraculous stories in the Bible where God uses so little to achieve so much. I add just two more. We can reflect on Moses trapped with the Israelites between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea in Exodus 14 and he says in verse 13 “Don’t be afraid. Stand your ground, and you will see what the Lord will do to save you today. And what does God do? Verse 16 He says to Moses, in front of all the Israelites, “Lift up your stick and hold it out over the sea. The waters will divide and the Israelites will be able walk through on dry ground. (Note dry ground)

Finally we can be reminded of the story in 1Kings 17 where the prophet Elijah visits the widow of Zarephath and he requests from her a drink of water and some bread to eat. In verse 12 we hear her response, “By the living Lord your God I swear that I haven’t got any bread. All I have  is a handful of flour in a bowl and a drop of olive oil in a jar” How inadequate and insufficient to feed a visitor, herself and her son for the rest of the season. Despite this situation, Elijah tells her not to worry and to go ahead and prepare the meal for this is what will happen. Verse 14”The bowl will not run out of flour or the jar run out of oil before the day that I the Lord send rain”.

A boy’s lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fishes, offered to feed a crowd of over 5000 people .

A sling with 5 stones presented as a weapon to defeat an enemy giant kitted out in full armour.

A mere shepherds staff pointed at a sea of water to create a pathway of safety for a million people.

A handful of flour and drop of olive oil to feed a visitor, mother and son for the rest of the season, when used for the Lord’s purpose, continues to provide resource until the next rains arrive

In Matthew 19:26, To the Rich Young Man seeking salvation, Jesus mentions that entry into the Kingdom of God is much harder for the rich, He compares the challenge to an illustration of a “camel passing through the eye of a needle” The disciples who were present, then asked Jesus “Who then can be saved” and Jesus said “This is impossible for man but for God everything is possible.

When the virgin Mary was visited by the angel who informed her that she would become pregnant with a son, Jesus. She asks how this could be possible and we have Jesus response in Luke 01:37 “For there is nothing that God cannot do”

What impossibility do you and I need to bring to Jesus so that He can in His power and for His glory bring about a miracle in our lives or in our situation.

Prayer – Show us Lord what we can and must hand over to You Amen