Christmas 2014 Meditation Nine

Church of the First Feeding of the Multitude at Tabgha (Feeding of the 5,000)
Matthew 14:13-21

Today we are by the Sea of Galilee again. We are looking at one of the most famous stories in the New Testament, the Feeding of the 5,000. It is also the only miracle that appears in all four Gospels. Our guide, Iyad, referred to this story as the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes. I like this title for the story, it gives me a different perspective.

I have always thought the miracle was feeding of so many people, but now I think the miracle is the multiplication of food. I wonder if the disciples thought about all the times God had increased supplies in the past. There are a few stories that immediately come to mind. Elijah and the widow from Zaraphath. She only had enough flour and olive oil to make one last meal for her son and herself but the jar of flour and jug of oil never ran out (1 Kings 17:10:16). Elisha fed one hundred people with twenty loaves of barley bread and fresh grain, with leftovers (2 Kings 4:42-44). Then of course, the miracle of the oil that is celebrated during Chanukah. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, but the oil did not run out for the eight days that it took to make a new supply of oil for the menorah.

This is a miracle of God taking what little we have and making it abundant. The miracle is we offer our meager supplies, talents, gifts and abilities and God increases it. Just like the loaves and fishes, jar of flour and jug of oil, and the candle oil our gifts are not sufficient to sustain us or those we serve. But if we trust God and start using our gifts, they will be increased so that there is leftovers.

I often fail to use my gifts because I don't think I have enough. What if the widow of Zaraphath said, "Sorry, I don't trust you. There isn't enough?" What if Elisha's servant didn't pass out the food because there wasn't enough? What if the disciples told Jesus he was crazy and sent all the people away instead of handing out the loaves and fishes?

How many people would not have witnessed the miracle? How many lives would not have been touched by Jesus? At least 5,000 men plus women and children; that's a lot of people! So what does this mean for us? We must trust God to increase our gifts. It's not up to us to decide if what we have is enough, it's up to us to use our gifts as God asks us and trust Him to increase them. If we follow Jesus and obey God, our gifts will always be more than enough.