All We Need

In Matthew’s gospel we read of the feeding of the four thousand (which is different than the feeding of the five thousand). The people had been with Jesus for three days. Their hunger for Truth and their need for healing wouldn’t let them go home until they were spiritually filled. But their stomach’s needed filling, too, and Jesus had compassion on them and went to His disciples…

“How many loaves do you have?” He asked, “Seven” they replied, “and a few small fish.” He told the crowd to sit down on the ground, and He blessed the food and shared it and they were all satisfied, with plenty left over. 

This is far more than just a miracle story; it’s an example to us all that God can take the little we have and make it into something great for His Kingdom. The question lingers…  “What do you have?” It might seem embarrassingly insignificant, but when offered to God, He can multiply it in ways that we never could in our own effort.

… but I don’t have enough money, or talent, or time… bring it and lay it on the altar. Offer to God what you DO have with a joyful heart and watch Him do “exceedingly abundantly more than you could ever ask or think.” But first… we must offer it. God is still in the business of multiplying and blessing. He has all we need, and more.

(Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos)