“Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ‘Bring them here to me,’ he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”
- Matthew 14:16-20 -

In today's text of Jesus' feeding of the five thousand, we see Jesus' response to the disciples’ request for a solution to the needs of the people, he instructs, ‘You give them something to eat’ (v 16). That Jesus invites us to be participants in his ministry is astonishing. It’s not that he needs us, but rather that he chooses to release divine resources to supply what you and I require to feed those around us. Note the contrast in the two meals thus far in Matthew 14.

Saturday we considered the drunken party hosted by Herod that was consumed by treachery, evil and malice. Today, the feast Jesus hosted is filled with life, hope and divine provision. Finally, the verbs used here by Matthew to describe the breaking of bread by Jesus are those later used in the account of the Last Supper.3 This meal by the shore in Galilee satisfied physical hunger and gives a wonderful foretaste of the feast to come which will satisfy our spiritual hunger.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have wonderfully provided for me. I thank you that my physical and spiritual needs have been met. My heart is overflowing with thanksgiving to you.