“We’re going to have to take things into our own hands. It’s getting late, and all these people are still here. It’s time to send the people home.”
I wonder which disciple said it first. Perhaps another chimed in: “Definitely! Enough is enough. The only reasonable and sane thing to do now is to send the crowd back to the city. They’ll just have to fend for themselves. Some shops will still be open, and they can grab a bite to eat in town.” Others concur. “I agree; that makes sense to me. The only edible products I’ve seen out here today are those five loaves and two fish. With appetites like ours, that’s barely enough for ourselves! So I’ll advise the Master to call it quits for the day, shut the thing down and disperse the crowds.”
This is the Master’s response: “Why would we send the people away without feeding them? Do you really think the restaurants and grocery stores in town are better equipped to meet their needs? Bring those five loaves and two fish here to Me,” Jesus said. Well, those weren’t His exact words. Precisely the exchange went like this:
But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Matthew 14:16-18
The disciples were right: humanly speaking, with 10,000+ ravenous stomachs (5000 men plus women and children) gathered around like vultures, five loaves, and two fish wouldn’t go all that far. But when you have someone like Christ in your midst, why would you limit yourself to puny human capabilities and possibilities like grocery stores and fast food outlets?
His message and lesson for them was: “whatever you have, take it to Me and watch what happens.” They obeyed, and the rest is history. Everyone was stuffed, and there was enough left over for each of the disciples to get their own doggy bag.
Let’s imagine the disciples retiring for the night, each having a basket full of food at his side. As they glanced at the stars and closed their eyes for the night, I think they would say to themselves: “He did it again! He’s simply amazing.”
Are you feeling inadequate today over something that looks too big for you? Have you obeyed His voice? Is He saying to you: “Whatever you have, bring it here to Me?” Humanly speaking, we’re no match for the need ahead of us. But if we take whatever we have to Him and place it in His Hands, He’ll use our inadequacies, frailties and our smallness to accomplish what needs to be done and He will get the glory – not us!
The Apostle Paul said: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
The Lord said to Paul: “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2Corinthians 12:9
We’re on dangerous ground when we look to ourselves and think: “I can do it!” or even when we concede defeat and start thinking: “It can’t be done.” That’s the same as saying: “God can’t do it.” Respond to His Word: “Bring them here to Me.” Place whatever little you have in His hands and look to Him. And when we look exclusively to Him, we will always be able to say: “He’s simply amazing!”
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ,
Peter Ramsay
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