Encore!

By Alessandra Velsor

“Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’ His disciples answered, ‘Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?’ ‘How many loaves do you have?’ Jesus asked. ‘Seven,’ they replied, ‘and a few small fish.’ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.”—Matthew 15:29–39 (NIV)

Coming from the restaurant industry, this is every caterer’s dream! When more people show up than expected to an event that’s been planned for some time there usually isn’t enough food. But then to literally be able to multiply the “fish and loaves” to ensure there’s enough food for everyone is incredible! I experienced a client who told me 25 people were expected to attend, but then 25 more people showed up and we had to hurry and make last minute accommodations all while making it look effortless. And in today’s passage, there were even leftovers! This is why while executing large scale events, I would often say to my team, “Now, let’s go feed the 5,000!”

We’ve already learned of the 5,000 that were fed a chapter ago. So, when reading this passage, we wonder if we’re having an episode of déjà vu. But it’s neither of those circumstances. Instead, it’s more of an encore! This is a completely different story of how much Jesus not only cares how He feeds us spiritually, but also how He cares deeply about our practical needs. If Jesus has compassion on them, then you better believe He has compassion on us.

Jesus, our Savior, who through all of His miracles, we learn He’s “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV)and His desire to perform them is simply driven by His love for us. He’s not only able, but He truly wants to restore us in the hopes it will draw us into a relationship with the Father. Not only does He want us to be better, He merely wants us to BE with Him, rest in Him, and depend on Him because He’s the only one who can provide what we need when we need it.

We’ve all had moments as believers when we’ve doubted Him even though we’ve already witnessed many miracles in our lifetime. This is why it’s so easy to relate to the disciples when they asked, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” Reading this, I initially shook my head because they JUST witnessed the feeding of the 5,000, and they should already know they are with the only one who is able to do it again. Perhaps the reason they doubted was because the disciples who were present for this account may not have been present in the previous one. Or perhaps they were being sarcastic with their question like, “What do YOU want US to do, Jesus?” Or, maybe they didn’t believe Jesus would want to perform a miracle in Gentile territory. In this precise moment of gospel history, Gentiles were so amazed by Jesus’ power to heal them, they started following Him everywhere He went!

Friends, let’s walk confidently fully knowing we serve a God who not only CAN perform THAT miracle we’ve been praying some time for, but that He also only desires the best for us, His children. When He doesn’t answer a prayer the way we’re hoping, do we trust Him enough when He provides a different resolution? When He’s already done so much for us, do we have faith to trust He can do it again? Because, He can . . . ENCORE!

Pause: Read Matthew 14:13–21. What are the similarities and differences between today’s passage and the feeding of the 5,000?

Practice: Write in your journal about two times God has shown up in your life in a similar fashion. Was it easier to trust Him the second time? Why or why not?

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for this passage and for the reminder that You’re able to do it again and again. Your faithfulness amazes me because You are a God who keeps His promises. You are a God who cares about the details. You are a God who cares about me so deeply and uniquely. Thank You, Lord, for loving me intimately and for capturing my attention in such creative ways. I desire to follow You the rest of my life. Stay close, Jesus. Amen.