Verses 10-11 The apostles report back all they had done. Maybe this was confirmation that the town had been touched and it was time to move on to the next city. Maybe they needed a little break to relax. Jesus moved on with his apostles to the town of Bethsaida. This is out in the middle of a desert where they retreated to. The crowd follows Jesus out in the middle of nowhere. Jesus didn’t ask the crowd to leave and he didn’t consider their behavior rude. He welcomes them and doesn’t turn anyone away. Jesus must have left some kind of impression on the people that they would follow him out in the middle of nowhere. Wow! Have you ever followed Jesus into the desert of life? A desert season might be where seemingly nothing is going on around you. It’s bleak. Dry. We can confuse desolate, quiet places with an absent God. But following Jesus may lead us out into the desert sometimes.

The desert is where Jesus taught about the laws and privileges of the kingdom of God. He heals those in the crowd. There is healing in Jesus for all those who need it in their body and soul.

Verses 12-15 This miracle is the only one that is recorded by all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

When our faith follows Jesus into a desert place, we never have to fear that we will be left in ‘want’ or ‘need’. If we respect Jesus and serve Him, He will provide all that we need.  We can depend on Jesus, Jehovah-Jireh (He will provide). Notice that Jesus gives the crowd all that he and the apostles have. Jesus opens up heaven and shares all that He has with us. He’s not holding back a portion.

When we find ourselves diminishing the value of the little bit we have, we should reflect on this story. Jesus had the apostles acknowledge that their resources weren’t going to be enough. Feeding a crowd of this size was humanly impossible.

Though the crowd was there for Jesus’ teaching and healing, Jesus sees their other need, for food, and makes provision for that as well. When come to Jesus, He meets all our needs. We might come to Him for physical healing, and He feeds us spiritually as well. He sees and relieves the needs we have and satisfies our desires for more of them. He nourishes and strengthens us so that we can exercise our faith.

Verse 16 points out that Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and looked up to heaven and blessed them. This is an important lesson that even Jesus looked to God and blessed the food before anyone ate. When we look to God to bless our little bit, Jesus has a way of multiplying the supply so that we can satisfy all those in need.

Anything blessed will fill us, sustain us, comfort us, satisfy us. When Jesus feeds us he fills us. When we are spiritually hungry, He saturates our thirsty soul and replenishes strength with His Spirit. He holds enough in his hands for the taking.

Here we see that blessed food multiplies. A little went a long way when it was blessed. We should bless our food to meet all our hunger needs too. We should want God’s blessing in all things to make whatever is in our hands increase, enlarge, and spread.

“Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.” Psalm‬ ‭37:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The last verse here says that all ate and were satisfied. Jesus always satisfies. And the leftovers were collected. Leftovers from 5,000 people off of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish?! Who is this Jesus?! Incredible! This isn’t just an old story. It’s what Jesus does in us and for us daily when we come to him. He holds all the provisions we need and even some to spare! He doesn’t run out. Ever. He is our source.

I like the mental picture here of a crowd sitting at Jesus’ feet and he is standing with the food in his hand, looking to God and blessing it. We can have a relationship with God only through Jesus. We have peace between God and us because of Jesus (our sin caused friction. Jesus created peace). Jesus is our Provider (Jehovah-Jireh) and our mediator. He stood on the cross on our behalf so that we could come to God with our requests and needs and know that He will provide. He provided Jesus. He will provide all of our needs.

Prayer: Jesus, Jehovah-Jireh, you are more than enough. You are my source. When I am in the desert of life, there you are with me. You go with me. You will never leave me. Teach me more about you, Jesus. Heal the spiritual diseases that plague my soul. Heal my thinking. Heal my pain so that I can live and love from a better place. Help me to see things the way You see them, Jesus. You see my need for a miracle, Lord. Bless this life so that I may live in the fullness of what you have for me. That I may glorify you and serve you in greater capacities. That I may give up mourning for gladness. Thank you for the little bit I have, Jesus. Thank you for being my provision. Thank you for going to the cross on my behalf that I may have this conversation with you with an open door and peace between us. Thank you for the peace that is you in my soul. That is more than enough. Thank you for filling me, satisfying me, sustaining me through this life. Bless this offering of a life, Jesus. Bless what you’ve given me that it may stretch, expand, and multiply. I look to the heavens for my help. Nourish my soul and strengthen my spiritual muscles as I soak in your Word today, Jesus. Already you have blessed me so richly. Do it again, Jesus, for Your glory. Show off and let me look to you for all praise and honor for your continued goodness and fulfilled promises. Let your miracles multiply and the leftovers spill over onto all the people who come into my life today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.