Dear Explorer,
Okay, now to the actual miracle recorded by all 4 gospel writers. Try to imagine being there and seeing it with your own eyes.
Read Matthew 14:18-21
And
Read Mark 6:39-44
and
Read Luke 9:14-17
and
Read John 6:10-13
God not only blessed the people with food, but they had all they wanted and there was food left over.
Do you think that leftover food was wasted?
I've puzzled over why there were 12 baskets full of fish and bread left over. I wonder if Jesus had each disciple carry a basket back to those cities they had been ministering to and give it to the poor? I don't know.
This I DO KNOW: when I've had a need and I turned to God and asked Him to meet my need, He has 100% of the time provided for me. He has never failed me when I have asked. Let me tell you a story about one of those times that involved food.
David and I were living in student housing while he was in graduate school at the University of Arizona. I was also attending the University and we were super poor. Money was very, very tight. Our cupboards were bear, but we wouldn't have a paycheck until Monday, and it was only Wednesday. We had never been this poor and we were both scared. Then in the mail I got a letter from my Grandparents that they were driving all the way from Arkansas to Tucson, Arizona to visit us. I looked at the postmark and realized that they were to arrive on Saturday. Uh, oh! There was absolutely nothing to eat except 1 jar of peaches, 1 jar of pickles, 1 can of chili and ½ bottle of catsup. Everything else was gone. What should we do? We prayed!
That night we finished off our last can of chili and prayed some more.
On Thursday night, when I got home from work, I was cleaning to try to forget that I was hungry. We planned to eat the peaches when David got home from work. But then, there was a frantic knock on my door. “Can you help me, PLEASE!” It was my friend who lived behind us. “Of course, what's wrong?” What was wrong was actually good news for both of us – but I didn't know it then. She and her husband were in the graduate program for deaf studies. They had just received an offer to become dorm parents at a local School for the Deaf. It was their dream job. The only problem was – they needed to move in by Friday – like TOMORROW! Okay, I thought. I can help you pack. But she explained – that's not what she needed help with! She was upset because she had just bought groceries – and had filled their refrigerator – except there wouldn't be a refrigerator at their dorm – they would eat in the cafeteria. Could I possibly take the food and do something with it?
Could I? Sure!!! It took me multiple trips to carry all the groceries that God had provided. There was so much food that my refrigerator door would barely close. That's when I noticed that this wasn't the kind of food I'd been buying (the cheapest I could find). These were high quality steaks and roasts and frozen shrimp and luxury items that I had never seen in my life. There were things I didn't even know how to cook! But I managed! You, see, when we ask – and really trust Him – He not only provides – but He gives to us overflowing, pressed down and running over.
God is soooooooo good!!
I was able to treat my Grandparents to really nice meals on Saturday and Sunday and we still had plenty of food for the two of us for weeks.
Read John 6:14-15
As a result of this miracle, Jesus had to hide for a while. Maybe He finally got some rest!
In His service, dale
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