13 As soon as Jesus heard the news [aboutJohn the Baptist's death], he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.
15 That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”
16 But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”
17 “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.
18 “Bring them here,” he said.
19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.
20 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.
21 About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!
For an omniscient, omnipotent,and omnipresent God, why would Christ ask his disciples to bring the food they had with them? Why did he not just command the angels to feed the multitudes or just create from nothing? And once the disciples brought the five loaves and two fishes to him, he took it, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, then breaking them into pieces he gave to the disciples to distribute. For a God who is able to create something out of nothing, he requires that you bring what you have to address the need at hand to whatever capacity; be thankful to the Lord for what you have, however much (less) it is. Use it, what you have, and he will continue to provide more to meet your needs.
This passage from the Bible became very personal to me one night about a year or more ago. I had been under a lot of debt - credit cards & auto loans, and needed money to meet our daily/monthly needs - rent, utilities, etc. Even though every month following payments for that months bills, my wife and I would make a commitment to reduce our spending or spend within our means, we would find ourselves in the same boat towards the end of the following month. We were not living a lavish lifestyle by any means, at the same time we were not spendthrifts. One night, "the bill payment night", which was always a stressful time, after looking through all the bills, I was kind of down, and then became angry at myself and anyone else within earshot of me. As I sat down to pay the bills, I sat there in front of my computer, with my head in my hands, asking God if this was how it was going to be. I complained to him that it had to be better. I complained that I shouldn't have to live month to month wondering how I was going to pay off all my debts. As I sat there past midnight with all kinds of emotions welling up inside of me, God started to show me the foolishness of my ways. I was asking for money to pay off my debts while I had set aside some in an investment account to play the stock market. It was just sitting there going nowhere. Here I was asking God for more while doing the same as the servant who buried the one talent he received from the master. Without thinking much, that same night I put in a market sell order for all the shares that I owned. There was enough to pay off most of the outstanding debts. There I was with that stress off my little head. The story gets better ...
A week or two later I took a peek at the share prices of the companies that I had sold, and it was incredulous to see what I was seeing. Everything that I had owned was in the pits though they were blue chip stocks, including AIG. If I had held on to the shares, the account would've been at 1/20th or less as the market had taken a tremendous dive following the sale of the shares. I sat there thanking God for that stressful night when he led me to that decision to just sell everything I had and pay off my debts. (This was kind of forgotten money!) God has a way of getting our attention before we fall off a cliff. It taught me to look at what I had before I complained to God or asked for more. He wants us to use the five loaves and two fishes that he has already provided us, and be thankful for it as we ask for more. As new needs arise, he is able to provide us more in ways we cannot ever imagine. Just ask apostle Peter when he went to Christ Jesus for money to pay the temple tax. Jesus asked him to go and throw a line to catch a fish, and the money for the temple tax would be in the first fish he caught. Sure enough, Peter found a silver coin in the first fish he caught, with which he paid the taxes. (Mathew 17:24-27)
There are many other parables in the bible that Christ used and miracles he performed, that show that we have to be active participants or contributors to the process rather than just spectators. He is not a God who promotes sheer laziness! He will part the Red Sea for you if there is not already a way for you to cross it. He may not stop your enemy from having you thrown in to the lion's den, yet he is able to shut the lions' mouth from harming you as he did for Daniel. He may not stop your enemy from binding you and throwing you into the fiery pit, but he will step into the fire with you and untie your bondage and preserve your life as he did for Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego. He may even let your enemy put into motion a solid plan to end your life as for Mordecai (in the book of Esther), but at the right time he will inspire others to come to your assistance through supernatural ways, as he aroused in King Xerxes' a desire to know who Mordecai was and put in motion all that was needed to preserve Mordecai's life and bring him honor. All these men had prayerful lives, did the will of God, yet they faced tremendous dangers in life. They had stress in their lives! They had sleepless, worrisome nights, I am sure! But, God was keenly aware of their situation, their needs and provided according to their needs at the right time.
So don't hoard the five loaves and two fishes that God has given you. Use it, share it. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which has been given to us in Christ Jesus ( wrote apostle Paul to the Philippians in Philippians 4:19). For God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we could ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20) God bless you !!!
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