Mark 6:35 – 44
35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 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 his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Let us look at the journey the disciples take. Firstly, they realise the lateness of the day and think of how hungry the crowd must be. The disciples too had been on the go all day, but they can feel empathy for the multitude that has followed them. They come to Jesus with a solution, and the Master replies with what seems like an illogical request. How can they, the disciples, feed so many? Even if there were money and corner stores enough to go around? But then they are told to find what little there may be and bring it to Jesus, and He gives thanks in an act of faith. However, He still gets the disciples to distribute this blessing, so they are carrying out his instruction, you give them something to eat.
The Lord wants to bless people, and He graciously chooses us to help distribute His goodness. We may not be able to scrape much together ourselves, but faith in the Son of God enables us to be a source of blessing.
Thank you, Lord, for using us to spread your blessing. Help us not focus on the little we have or are, but instead on how great You are. Amen.
Nicole Davenport – Creek Road
