Feeding the 5000
Jesus had just received some really difficult news; his friend and forerunner John was dead, beheaded by the cruel and capricious Herod. Feeling saddened by the news, Jesus went across the Lake of Galilee to a deserted place so he could be alone. He needed time to think, to process what had just happened. To take a moment to grieve for John.
Jesus was God but He was also a man. He felt the emotional impact of a difficult situation as keenly as we do. The trauma of loss touched him and he didn’t try to push through the pain and keep going. He took a moment to pause and process what had happened. To spend time in communion with God so that he could find his emotional and spiritual equilibrium again.
It’s ok to take time out to process a difficult situation when we need to. In fact, it’s more than ok, it’s necessary for our emotional and spiritual well being.
It wasn’t long before the people began to wonder where he had gone. Word spread that he had left to go across the lake and the multitude who constantly trailed after him decided to follow. They needed to see Him, needed Him to minister to them. It wasn’t long before the peace and solitude that Jesus craved was shattered by a chorus of thousands of eager voices.
But Jesus wasn’t irritated or angry. Yes, he would have liked to have had some space to process the loss of John but when he looked at the people rushing towards him and saw the eager anticipation on their faces Jesus was moved with compassion for them. The Bible says “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.” (Mark 6:34)
Jesus was moved with compassion for the people. Regardless of his own needs, he saw theirs and their needs touched him. He began to teach them and heal them, in fact he served them all day. As sunset drew near, His disciples came to him and told him to send the people home. They pointed out that they were in a remote location, far from civilization. Not only would it take the people a considerable amount of time to get home but there weren’t any places around the area that could provide them with a meal.
Jesus' response made the disciples take a step back; “you give them something to eat” he suggested. The disciples blurted out that such a thing was almost impossible. Not only would it incur a colossal expense but where on earth could they find that much food at this time of the day?
Instead of responding to their concerns Jesus asked “How much food do you have?” To which they replied “five loaves and two fish”
Jesus directed them to bring the food to him and to put the people into small groups. When they brought the food, he took it, blessed it and broke it. God multiplied the food so that the five loaves and two fish were able to feed five thousand men besides the women and children who were present. In fact there was so much food that when everyone was finished eating and they gathered up the leftovers they found that they had twelve baskets full.
It was a miracle. One that brought with it all sorts of connotations. It made the people think that Jesus would make a great military messiah because if he were to lead a campaign against Rome not only could he heal the wounded he could also supply almost unlimited foot for a marching army.
But Jesus wasn’t thinking about military strategy. Jesus was thinking of teaching his disciples the important lesson of turning to him in their hour of need, believing fully that he was capable of supplying their needs, regardless of how vast those needs were.
Sometimes, when we’re faced with a situation that seems humanly impossible to solve, we get caught up in the details. We think of ways to solve the problem which might not offer the most optimum solution.
The disciples wanted to send the people away, regardless of how hungry and tired they were because, well, they surely couldn’t scrape together what was needed to feed them. They were right to think that way, they couldn’t scrape together what was needed but they were wrong about it too, because they forgot that Jesus could do what they couldn’t.
In performing the miracle of the loaves and fish Jesus showed that he could take the smallest resources and multiply them. Jesus can solve problems in ways that we can’t even fathom because He has unlimited power on His side.
Next time you’re faced with a problem that you don’t know how to solve, go to Jesus. He already has a solution, a better one than you could ever dream of.
