There are times when our problems seem insurmountable, and no matter how hard we try, we cannot find a way out.聽
When that happens, it is easy to just give up, pout and feel sorry for ourselves.聽One day, though, Jesus鈥� disciples discovered another option.
Thousands of people had gathered to hear Jesus鈥� teaching.聽As evening fell, the disciples looked over the crowd and realized that they had a problem, so they found Jesus and said, 鈥淭his is a remote place and it is already very late.聽Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat鈥� (Mark 6:35-36).聽
Jesus responded, 鈥淵ou give them something to eat鈥� (verse 37).
Suddenly the disciples had a problem that they did not create and could not handle.聽After a quick calculation, they estimated that it would take more than eight months鈥� wages to feed all those people and even then each person would only get a small bite (John 6:7). They had no idea what to do next.聽
鈥�(We have) five barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will that go among so many?鈥� (John 6:9). They were ready to give up.聽However, Jesus was not done with them yet.
Having heard about their meager collection of food, he said, 鈥淏ring it to me!鈥� (Matthew 14:18).聽Jesus took what they had and multiplied it so that not only did all the people get enough to eat, but they had baskets full of leftovers.
The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle that is recorded by all four gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).聽I think they all saw it as being significant not only for what happened, but also for the lesson that it taught: whatever you have is enough as long as you bring it to Jesus.
Too often we fail because we try to do everything on our own.聽Too often we hold back the good we could do because we do not think it is enough to make a difference.聽
However, if we could just believe that God is at work and can help us in any and every situation, we might be surprised by what happens next.
鈥淏ring it to me鈥� is always the best answer.
