Mark 6:33-44 New American Standard Bible
Five Thousand Men Fed
33 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus went [a]ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 35 And when it was already late, His disciples came up to Him and said, “[b]This place is secluded and it is already late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves [c]something to eat.” 37 But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred [d]denarii on bread, and give it to them to eat?” 38 But He *said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 And He ordered them all to recline by groups on the green grass. 40 They reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He gave them to the disciples again and again to set before them; and He divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied; 43 and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces of bread, and of the fish. 44 There were five thousand [e]men who ate the loaves.
Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
When Jesus directed the disciples to feed a crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, with nothing but a young boy’s five loaves of bread and two fish, they faced a seemingly impossible situation.
As Andrew questioned, “What are they for so many?” (John 6:9).
But the Twelve did as Jesus directed them: they sat the people down, separated them into groups, and then they divided the loaves and fish. And divided. And divided. And before they knew it, a miracle of satisfaction had just unfolded.
The five loaves and two fish managed to feed thousands—and not just with the tiniest servings of food but with such an abundance that “they all ate and were satisfied.”
In truth, in a rather miraculous turn of events, there were even twelve wicker baskets of leftovers – 1 for each of the disciples to carry over their shoulders and go among the roadways and back alleys of neighboring villages to feast upon.
Just as God had done centuries earlier with the manna in the barren wilderness (Exodus 16), here the Great Shepherd of Israel proved His identity and provided for His people’s needs, both literally and symbolically.
It should be impossible for us to consider this story and not recognize that God takes unmanageable situations and unbelievably limited resources and greatly multiplies them for the well-being of others and the glory of His name. And He can miraculously do this with our lives and with our neighbors lives as well.
Perhaps, if you are the only Christian, practicing Christian, in your family, in your class, or at your job, you may rigorously, vigorously wonder, like Andrew, “What am I to do among so many? What should I say? What can I hope do?”
Mark 12:41-44 New American Standard Bible
The Widow’s Coins
41 And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and began watching how the [a] people were putting [b]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two [c]lepta coins, which amount to a [d]quadrans. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [e]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [f]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [g] all she had to live on.”
But here is the real question to ask:
“Have I truly offered up my “meager” resources to God—my time, talents, my energy, gifts, and finances?” They may not be much. But He can multiply them!
Christian missionary Gladys Aylward lived in London with no education and no savings.
What she had, though, was a passionate longing to go to China to share the gospel.
This small-statured lady, who had long, straight, black hair, thus began a journey by train and then by ocean liner, and eventually ended up in Shanghai.
As she stood on the deck, looking out on the city, she saw all the small-statured Chinese people with their straight, black hair, and suddenly realized that God had had a plan and purpose for her all along.
He’d even established her DNA in such a way she would be perfectly suited to become the “Little Woman” who would reach countless tiny children with the gospel—because she offered up her life to God He multiplied it for His glory.
As you look out on your day and your week, offer yourself to God. Your inability is His opportunity. Your weaknesses and your sense of dependence will form the very basis upon which He shows Himself to be stronger. With nothing but mere loaves and fish, He satisfied thousands. Be in no doubt that He can use you to do great and miraculous things of eternal worth, if you will only pray to Him.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 23 Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 