PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: John 6:1-15
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed as much as they wanted.” (John 6:11)
What strikes me here is how abundantly God provides through Jesus.
There is more than enough for everyone, with leftovers.
Wouldn’t it be great if the Lord was still providing abundantly, with leftovers?
Currently in the news there is talk of a billionaire (worth over 300 billion) giving 10%.
And there are many many more, with more than enough wages to buy food for everyone.
It seems to me that the Lord has multiplied more than enough food for the world.
I have more than enough as well, enough to feed many many people – most of us do.
We do not have a scarcity problem, we have a distribution problem.
Somehow the people the Lord assigned to distribute the food are holding back.
And then there is this “boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish” (6:9).
No billionaire, yet he is willing to offer 100% to Jesus and the crowds.
I can’t tell others how to distribute their abundance, I am responsible for my own.
I do not have billions, but I do have my own equivalent of 5 loaves and two fishes.
Am I participating in Jesus’s miracle of feeding the hungry, or hording his gifts for myself.
PRAYER
Lord, you have distributed abundance in our world, and in my life. Help me to be like this little boy, helping you distribute God’s abundance to those around me.
A detail struck me in apostle John’s account: “The Jewish Passover Festival was near”. I find the connection to Jesus feeding the 5000 and the passover a beautiful on. Jesus breaks bread – takes the loaves from the little boy and he feeds all the people there- Jesus gives himself – he ministers to the people with words of life but bread as well – He is the bread of life. He feeds me! Like the passover celebrates the release from slavery – Jesus releases me from slavery to sin – breaks me free. And he gives me his HS to guide me along the way. Jesus is near – the passover is near – the condemnation of eternal death is passed over. Thank you Jesus!
The Lord has blessed me with many blessings and I need to do the same – bless others with my blessings. What I have is not my own, but a gift from the Lord to be used in His service. The resources I share are also multiplied. God at work through me.
1 We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be;
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O Lord, from thee.
2 May we thy bounties thus
as stewards true receive,
and gladly, as thou blessest us,
to thee our first fruits give.
3 To comfort and to bless,
to find a balm for woe,
to tend the lone and fatherless
is angels’ work below.
4 The captive to release,
to God the lost to bring,
to teach the way of life and peace–
it is a Christlike thing.
5 And we believe thy Word,
though dim our faith may be;
whate’er for thine we do, O Lord,
we do it unto thee.