More Than Enough
“And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied.” Mark 6:31-44
We all know the feeling of eating a big meal, pushing back from the table and sighing the familiar words, “I am sooo full.” In other words I had more than enough. It’s interesting that after our food begins to digest we are soon ready for dessert. When morning arrives we are no longer full but ready to eat again. Our bodies were created to be fed and nourished over and over. We seem to forget that the same is true spiritually.
Hunger was a need that Jesus and His disciples were well aware of. All four gospels give an account of Jesus feeding the five thousand plus people. The disciples looked around realizing that the people had followed, waited and listened for many hours and it was way past time to eat. Stomachs were growling and thoughts of food were rising. The disciple’s solution to such a huge problem was for Jesus to send the people home to get their own food. They knew that there was no way to feed that many people. But Jesus saw an opportunity, not a problem. An opportunity for a huge miracle pointing to the power of God in the midst of meeting the needs of a hungry tribe.
Jesus sees every problem as an opportunity for God to move.
When they were all seated on the ground, the disciples found the only provision among them to be a kids meal. The little boy relinquished his two fish and five loaves of bread. I remember attending a few church wide picnics feeding several hundred people. The spread of food was enormous and full of variety. But I cannot imagine the spread for thousands being one happy meal. The disciples must have felt silly and a bit ridiculous taking the boy's insignificant meal and placing it in Jesus’ hands. But these were not just any hands. These were miracle working hands. Hands that healed the sick, opened blind eyes, straightened crooked backs, cast out demons, parted waters, stilled storms and raised the dead. These hands were the very hands of God.
We seem to forget that when we place our little insignificant things before God, He is a “miracle worker.” He is able. Yes, able to do more than we ask, think or imagine.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20–21)
Bring your fish and bread. Bring your hungry. Bring your overwhelmed. Bring your insignificant. Step back and watch what He will do. It’s ok if it feels silly and even ridiculous, dare to believe God to be God. Your provision just may become the provision for thousands.
I can only imagine that people were standing on their tip toes trying to see what Jesus was going to do. He held up the food, thanked God, blessed it and then began to break it. Baskets were filled and the disciples began to serve the multiplied food to the needy crowd. They knew they were hungry for bread and fish, but they were actually starved to meet this Savior of the world.
I am overwhelmed that not only was everyone fed, but all four gospels report that they ate until they were satisfied. We are not talking about a snack bar here, but enough to fill their bellies. Maybe they too sighed, “I’m soooo full.”
But wait, there is more. One more important fact included in the gospels. Not only did they eat until they were satisfied, but there were 12 baskets full left over. There was more than enough!
This recorded event reveals the heart and character of God. He cares about your real needs. He feeds the hungry. He has more than enough for all. We are not able to contain all that He has for us. He is a lavish God and He doesn’t do anything half-way. He gives and gives and gives, because He gave all on the cross.
”He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32
He gave His all when He gave His Son. Through Christ, He freely gives us all things, withholding nothing. Will you believe it today my friend?
Do you feel hungry and thirsty? Do you feel that your need is so great but there is no solution? Do you feel there is no way out? Bring your needy self to the Father and and by faith watch Him work. He longs to feed you, nourish you, provide for you.
He is more than enough.