Feb 23: Bring your 5 Loaves & 2 Fishes

Mt 14:17-18 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

“Bring them here to me,” he said.

10,000+ people. 5 loaves of bread. 2 fishes. The numbers were not even close to being close, of how much food was available to feed so many people. It was not the disciples’ job anyways to feed them, or so they thought. When Jesus ended his teachings and healings, the disciples advised Jesus “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” (Mt 14:15) To their shock, Jesus replied “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” I imagine Jesus had some sense of humor, but this might have sounded like a bad joke to the disciples. In any case, they brought their 5 pieces of bread and 2 pieces of fish to Jesus. And that was sufficient. Jesus prayed and multiplied the little bit of food brought to Him, and fed everyone present there that evening, and even made sure there was enough left-over for the disciples to eat.

Overflowing, abundant blessings can come from God when we surrender our little to God. Whatever we sacrifice in His name, there is a significant reward in return. Listen to these promises:

• Mathew 19:29: “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

• Luke 6:38: Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

• Malachi 3:10: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

• Ephesians 3:20: Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

The key is bring whatever we have to the presence of God. Often times, we wait till we feel we have enough before giving into the house of God. Or, you might feel, “what use is my little going to be? The church’s needs are so much bigger than anything I can do.” And so we abstain from doing anything at all! Let that not be the case.

No one who has given their time, energy, money or anything in the name of God has acted in vain. God always multiples and makes your offering a blessing not just for you, but for many more people around you. If you want to be inspired by recent times true stories related to this topic, watch William Colgate or Dallas Jenkins testimony. They will bless you greatly.

The Lord bless you. And don’t forget to bring those 5 fishes and 2 loaves to Him.