God Can Do So Much More With What What We Can See Than We Think

John 6:7-11 -  Philip replied, “It would take a fortune to begin to do it!” Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a youngster here with five barley loaves and a couple of fish! But what good is that with all this mob?”  “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus ordered. And all of them—the approximate count of the men only was five thousand—sat down on the grassy slopes. Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks to God and passed them out to the people. Afterwards he did the same with the fish. And everyone ate until full!

 

Jesus always had a crowd following Him…but this day they had traveled a far distance …the closest town a round 9 miles away. Jesus had compassion on their physical needs and knew that they needed to be fed before they traveled any further…so He used the moment to test Philip. He  asked Him where they could buy bread enough to feed around 5,000 men…not counting the women and children that were there as well.

 

Philip’s first thought was of the huge expense buying that much bread would cost. One site approximated the coast as 200 denari….about 8 months’ pay in that day….roughly $4,000 dollars in American money. Andrew actually found some food…but his attitude about the small find matched the amount he found.  All he saw was hopelessness in his find.  But Jesus saw the supernatural power of His father…and an opportunity to show these followers what can happen when total trust and confidence is placed in God.

 

The blessing of that small meal packed for a sweet son probably fed over 15,000 people that day….a small estimate if each man had a wife and one child traveling with him. And don’t forget there were 12 baskets of leftovers after everyone ate till they were full. That makes me picture the putting away of food after a Thanksgiving dinner….enough food to eat on the rest of the week.

 

I admit that I am a Philip at times…and an Andrew at others.  Rarely do I possess the attitude of Jesus and see the big picture that God has planned for the small thing I see in front of me. I see the roadblocks…the cost…and voice excuses like Moses at that burning bush. I need to be more like Jesus….and have so much faith in God that I trust Him to turn my small thing into more than I need to finish the task.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that God is more than capable of exceeding every human thought I have for the future. Forgive me for the times that I limit you by my excuses… and my lack of faith. Help me to build a relationship with you that is so strong that I too will see the overabundance that you can create with the small resources I see physically in my hands. Help me to trust that you always have more in mind than I can conceive in my head. Amen.