But Jesus said to them, “They do not need
to go; you give them something to eat!”
Matthew 14:16
After a long day of teaching and healing in
a secluded place, the disciples encouraged
Jesus to send the crowd away so they could
go find food and rest. They were concerned
for the people (and likely themselves). The
response Jesus gave them bewildered them.
“They do not need to go; you give them
something to eat!”
That idea had not even entered their minds.
This crowd consisted of five thousand men
not counting women and children! How
could He possibly consider feeding all these
people? There was no conceivable way to
accomplish this feat! (Even Chick-fil-A
would struggle with this crowd)
They saw the need but meeting that need
was not even on their radar. Not anywhere
even close. Isn’t this how we sometimes
perceive the needs around us? We have a
burden for the people, but the need is so
overwhelming, we can’t imagine any way
we can deal with it. So, we limit ourselves
to prayer rather than ministry. But what if
the burden we are feeling is from the Lord?
Would we see the need if we were not being
led by the Spirit?
Are we like the disciples, limiting what God
can accomplish through us because we are
only considering our meager resources?
Have we forgotten God does not send us out
to do ministry alone? He said, “I will be
with you!” Would He lay a burden on our
hearts without providing the resources to
meet the need?
Take note of what Jesus commanded the
disciples to do next. He did not say pray for
enough food to feed the crowd. He did not
command them to devise a strategic plan to
meet this overwhelming need. He did not
send them out to find partners who might
help them feed the multitude.
He said, “Bring them to me!” (The five
loaves and two fish) Then He commanded
them to have the people get ready for
dinner! Have them sit down in groups.
Jesus took the food the disciples had, He
blessed it (prayed over it), and began having
the disciples serve the people. Miraculously
the food multiplied, and everyone got fed
and there was even food leftover!
What is our takeaway? It’s not what we can
do with what we have that matters. What we
have is what He provided. It’s what He can
do with what we have that matters!
We are not limited by being a small church.
We limit God by thinking too small.
Blessed by you…Bro. Sherman
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