Greatness: Matthew 14-20Sample

Faith comes in different sizes. Some days we may be full of faith and believing for miracles. Other days we are barely hanging on. I don’t think we should condemn ourselves for this. It seems to be the human condition and shows our need for God.

In today’s reading, Jesus and His disciples were in a desolate place, and they were weary. They had just received news of John the Baptist’s death, and Jesus’ hopes for retreat to mourn were spoiled as the crowds flocked to Him. Yet Jesus had compassion on those who came, healing the sick and engaging with the crowd. By nightfall, they were exhausted and hungry.

Despite the miracles that Jesus had performed all day, when He asked about food, Philip talked about their lack of money, and Andrew explained that they had only found five barley loaves and two fish, questioning what they could do with so little. Yet, as we know, Jesus turned that little into a lot, and everyone was fed with leftovers.

If we look at this metaphorically, when our faith is lacking, we find ourselves in a desolate place and exhausted. We forget what Jesus has done for us. We long for spiritual food. Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life. We might be like Philip. Despite knowing God is all powerful, we see dire circumstances and cannot find a way out. Or we might be like Andrew, saying this is all I have, a tiny bit of faith, and I don’t know what good it will do. But if this story tells us anything, it is to give whatever faith you have to God. Jesus can turn it into something more. It may not look like what you expect, but He has it under control. Give Jesus your confusion, your questions, your loaves and fishes, and be filled with the Bread of Life.

Today, ponder this: What are you lacking faith about? What is stopping you from giving what little you have to Jesus?