13 When Jesus heard
of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.18 He said, Bring them hither to me.19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. (Matt. 14:13-21 KJV)
This morning I was led to think about the miracle of multiplication of five loaves and two fishes. I praised the LORD that He is in the business of working miracles for those who accept him to be their Lord and Savior. Some people are drawn to him because they heard the Gospel preached or because they had a need and this is going on every day. God has His supernatural ways and means of calling us to himself, so in actual fact we may think we sought Him out, but He planned the scenario which drew us to Him. Salvation is the greatest miracle that can happen to anyone. We give praise and honour to you, LORD God Almighty!
In my personal life I can think of several times God has performed miracles. As we mature in the faith because we are closer to God, we see things we took for granted or were not aware of spiritually, in a different light. We see God’s hand on everything we do and define them as His miracles. Have you looked for something for such a long time in your home, prayed and then not long after you either remembered were it was or you just found it laying somewhere you thought you had already looked? It has happened to me and even in one case I had this sensation that I was just about to find that vital thing just moment before I actually did as I rampaged through a box packing to move home.
Our God performs miracles every day! Some which seem small and some big, they are all miracles from a “big” God!
From this account of multiplication of five loaves and two fishes (Matt, 14:13-21), I am also reminded of the God of provision, Jehovah Yireh, always ready to provide for us, our basic needs and more. Another name of God which speaks to us in this regard is El Shaddai, Our Sufficiency or “More than enough God”. After the crowd had eaten and were full there were twelve baskets full of fragments of loaves and fishes left over. Twelve is God’s prophetic number meaning either God’s people, God’s house/dwelling or God’s government; There were twelve apostles, twelve tribes of Israel and 24 (12×2) elders worshipping God before His throne (Rev. 4:10) and the measurement of the square Holy City was “…12,000 furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal…” (Rev 21:16).
This is a decree of the LORD: He will always give His people provision and there will always be left over or surplus provision available for those who are going to enter the sheepfold at a later date.
Will we be among those He can trust to receive and then distribute the leftovers or surplus to those who are in need, thus extending God’s kingdom (government) through our lives? Brethren, they will know us by our fruit and some will make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour by the kindness we show them.
The LORD’s heart is for the poor and needy and Jesus Christ made this clear by explaining that when we feed the poor, give drink to the thirsty and take in those who need shelter, we are doing so as unto him (Matt. 25:34-36).
I don’t know what your needs are today brothers and sisters but I encourage you that out of your riches, give to those who lack and out of your poverty, if you consider yourself poor, share with those who lack. This is because our God looks at your heart condition before Him and rewards you accordingly. He has not only promised to provide for you as Jehovah Yireh, but He is also El Shaddai, your sufficiency and more than enough God. He has promised to “do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph. 3:20 KJV), with this in mind, you know that when you give to those in need you will never lack.
Being blessed (this includes provision) “more abundantly beyond…” means that you have more than enough and therefore able to give to others. Your question is “but I don’t see with my natural eyes the abundance you are speaking of?” I say “not to worry, see with your “spiritual eyes” your “eyes of faith” that is! Believe God’s word and it will work for you!”
Sometimes the LORD will test us even with the little we have as in the case of the widow of Zarephath who God sent Elijah to when he was hungry. I would like to have been there to see her facial expression or reaction when the prophet blessed her with these words: “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth” (1 Kings 17:14 KJV).
The widow of Zarephath selflessly shared all that she had left for herself and her son with Elijah when he asked her to “and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.” (1 King 17:15-16 KJV).
Jesus said “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[a]” (Luke 6:38 NLT)
Also, the LORD inspired the Apostles Paul to say the following: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Gal. 6:7-9 KJV)
As long as we know and obey God’s principle about reaping and sowing or giving and receiving our Christian life will always be marked with not only miraculous provision and surplus but also include other miracles such as healings, deliverances and spiritual blessings.
This way we are not only declared righteousness as new covenant believers, but instruments of God to bless multitudes through our giving, testimonies of His glorious works in our lives and ministries in service to Him.
Dear Father
We love you and thank you for being our provider and also promising to give us even more than we need. Help us to live in the reality of these truths so that we will reap the rewards of obedience not just for ourselves but for the sake of your kingdom.
I ask that you would open our eyes daily to see beyond our own lives, needs and concerns so that our mission in life is as ones broken for the sake of multitudes who are hungry naturally but also hunger spiritually for you and may not even know it. In Jesus’ name Amen.
You are blessed, determine to stay blessed.
Deborah Esther
©Deborah E. Nyamekye 27/11/2015
Biblical Exhortations, Devotionals & Poetry 