Feeding the People

And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. Luke 9:10-17

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12

When the disciples came back from their community experience Jesus took them aside and helped them to process their experience. When the people heard where Jesus was they came to Him with all of their problems and all of their sicknesses. Jesus healed them all and cared for them. When the day was almost night time the disciples asked Him to send them away so that they would have time to get to a village to get some food and lodging. But Jesus, knowing the experiences that the disciples had just had, asked them to exercise faith and feed the people instead of sending them away. But like most of us they looked on circumstances first and then doubted for the circumstances looked like more than they could handle. Then once the situation had been laid out before them Jesus used the available food in front of Him and fed 5000 men besides women and children. He also used the disciples to establish a principle. He had the disciples break up the people in groups of 50 and then He prayed, He multiplied the food, and then He gave to the disciples who then gave to the people. This is the principle of recovery – God heals, God then uses those healed to send the message to others so that they too can receive the blessing. Then they picked up the fragments and gave these fragments to others so that they would have another opportunity to tell their story.

Prayer for Today: God, we need the blessing of Your care taking. Help us, feed us, give us the resource and experience so that we can be blessed and in turn we can bless others. Thank You for Your love and grace for us, and for those whom You bring us into contact with.