He Is Plenty Adequate

The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle of Jesus that is recorded in all four Gospel accounts. There is obviously something there that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all considered worth retelling. Maybe it is simply the magnitude of the miracle itself. But if that were the case, why didn't they all record the raising of Lazarus? (Only John did.)

I'm just wondering this morning if there isn't something very practical that we are to learn from this miracle. To be honest, through the years it is a miracle I have read and thought, "Wow! That is pretty impressive. A smorgasbord for 5,000+ when the only materials on hand were 5 loaves and two fish." A powerful story -- but it didn't have any application for me.

I think the practical lesson might have alluded me because I have grown up in an American culture that says, "I am adequate for all things." But the reality is I am not. In my personal life, I am unable to predict my adequacy beyond a couple of paychecks. In the life of my church, we are wondering how we are going to be able to pay for our building with the resources we currently have. We are no different from the disciples who, when Jesus said "You give them something to eat", responded "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish."

They were right. Or were they? Was that really all they had? They forgot to factor in one little asset -- JESUS! He was their adequacy.

Will Jesus still feed 5,000 with a sack lunch? I don't know. But I do know this: He will take what I have to offer -- and make it adequate for whatever he has called me to do. His name is YHWH-Jireh. "The Lord Will Provide." He will not call us to ministry -- and then leave us in short supply. What an awesome God we serve!