When Jesus was in town, there was always a crowd. The people flocked to the holy man who would heal the sick. In this instance, there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and the disciples didn't even have a chance to eat or to rest. So they got into a boat and went across the Sea of Galilee to a place near the town of Bethsaida for some privacy. But many people saw them leaving and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. This would have been frustrating for the best of us. But Jesus saw the people - thousands of them - and felt deep sympathy. They wanted to see a miracle, but he knew they were lost and needy, without guidance. Without hope. Jesus welcomed them all, and began teaching about the kingdom of God, as well as healing the sick.


After hours of teaching and healing, it was late in the day. The disciples were thinking in practicalities. The area was desolate, no access to food or lodging, so they thought it was time to send the people away to find food. The people, if they were thinking of food at all, either didn’t consider it as important as being near Jesus or they simply trusted Him to take care of them.

Matthew 6:31 says that we shouldn't worry, wondering about what to eat o drink, or about clothing. For unbelievers worry about those things. They don't have the Father. We are to, first, seek his kingdom and his righteousness, and all the other things will be given to us as well.

The disciples had watched Jesus heal the sick but they hadn't yet fully understood who he was. They didn't understand his power. It must have been a shock when Jesus said, “You feed them.- The Bible says that there were 5000 men, so there could well have been 15,000 or more people, if we include the women and children. The disciples checked their finances, figuring it would take eight months wages to buy enough food. Andrew went out and found a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish. He took those to Jesus.

After instructing the people to sit on the grass in groups, Jesus took the bread and the fish, praising God and giving thanks. He broke the bread and the fish and gave the pieces to the disciples to distribute. And he kept on giving the pieces to the disciples. What must they have been thinking as the food kept coming? In the end, there was plenty for all of the crowd and even twelve baskets of leftovers.

To us, this was a miracle, but to Jesus, it was all in a day's work. He had already created the world and everything in it. When God provides, he does it abundantly.

My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

When faced with an impossible mission, praise God and thank him for what we're given. Then trust the Creator to do the rest. Small offerings, placed in God's hands, become huge.

Read: Matthew 14:13-21, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:5-15

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