And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
Matthew 14:17
I began a story yesterday to illustrate the role of the disciples in partnering with God in the miracle of multiplication of bread. I mentioned that just as Jesus tasked the disciples with the responsibility of giving the crowd something to eat, myself and my friends were tasked with raising the finance for the programme. Of course, Jesus wasn’t unaware of the disciple’s inability to solve the problem, just as he isn’t unaware of ours, but he sometimes does this to teach a sense of responsibility in addition to faith.
To pick up from where I stopped yesterday, after all the excos in my fellowship emptied their pocket, all we had was a far cry from what we needed. Yet, the Holy Spirit said to us ‘by this time tomorrow, you will have abundance after all debts have been paid’. As unrealistic as that sounds, guess what? By the time the event was over the following day, we had a good sum of money to put back into the fellowship’s purse after running a debt-free event.
It was the same for the disciples. In their bid to respond to Jesus’ call to responsibility, all they could get were five loaves and two fishes. For a crowd of over 5,000 people that’s a rather unrealistic provision but when Jesus touched it, it became more than enough to feed them all.
The disciples could have doubted the possibility of feeding such a large crowd with only five loaves and two fish. However, they trusted in Jesus’ words and presented what they had. In our lives, we must trust that God is not limited by our resources or circumstances. Whatever we offer to Him, no matter how small it may seem, becomes the vessel through which His miraculous provision flows.
The significance of the five loaves and two fish cannot be overstated. It represents the little that we may have – our skills, resources, time, and even our faith. Just as the disciples presented the five loaves and two fish to Jesus, we too must be willing to release what we have into His hands. God is ready to release His miracles into our lives, but He often requires our active participation and faith. What five loaves and two fish do you have? Are you ready to release it?
PRAYER
Dear Lord, thank you for reminding me again that all you need is my five loaves and two fish. Please help me to let go of them so that I can experience your abundance in my life.
