Three Years in 30 Days: Jesus' Life and MissionSample

Jesus has power to provide for people

“And taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied.” (Mark 6:41-42 ESV)

Reading the verses above without context, may give us the impression of a cozy picnic where Jesus had some bread and fish with a couple of His disciples. However, “the people” in this story were five thousand men! Jesus fed them all with just five loaves of bread and two fish. This clearly was a miracle.

In normal circumstances, people have the responsibility to provide for themselves. As the saying goes, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) However, we all know that our capabilities are limited. If we are sick, we can’t work. If there is a drought, our crops won’t grow. In case of wars or natural disasters, famine looms. It’s clear that we are ultimately dependent on God for our daily food.

When the people of Israel were on a years long journey through the wilderness (see the Bible books of Exodus and Numbers), they could not provide for themselves. Therefore, God gave them food. “He rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.” (Psalm 78:24 ESV)

Jesus did the same. Feeding thousands of people was an act of compassion and a sign of His divine power.

• Do you rely on God for your daily needs?
• How does this work out in daily life?