Matthew 14:15 MSG
Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper. But Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper. All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish, they said. Jesus said, "Bring them here". Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.I know many are familiar with this story. It seems so impossible to an average person to imagine seeing something like this happening. I know that there were more than 5000 people that went to see Jesus speak that day. I know that these people traveled to hear this man named Jesus, who healed the sick, rose the dead and spoke with such authority that He is the Son of God. These things I know, and I understand. Yet in still, there was still more that I had not understood from this scripture, until just recently. So go with me for just a moment, back into the actual event. I want to share with you what the Holy Spirit revealed to me..
Jesus was mourning the death of his good friend and disciple John the Baptist, who Herod had beheaded. So He traveled by ship, just to get to a desert place, to get away. The word was out over half of the countryside and cities, that this man called Jesus was coming to an area that was near. The people traveled by foot, out of their cities, just to go see him. I am sure it would take a person three times as long on foot, to get to a destination that was traveled to by a ship. Yet, the people went, because they were in need of healing, restoration, answers, direction, and so much more. For many families, it would take days of travel, just to get to the countryside where Jesus was said to be. Many people prepared their caravan with food and water and other items to take with them on the journey. I imagine a very diverse group of people, not just in culture but in class. Amoung this crowd of 5000, that did not include women and children I might add, were probably men of great wealth and men living in extreme poverty. Men from the political platform, religious forums, from farmland, to sheep herders, to the homeless. It takes a person of great presence and attraction, to draw such a vast group of culture and class. Imagine Jesus addressing this multitude of people, the Word tells us that when He sees the multitude, He was moved by compassion.
I can just see Jesus, probably standing on a hillside, teaching without a microphone, but his voice is heard by every single person from the front of the crowd, to the very back of the crowd. I'm not sure how long Jesus had been teaching, but it was long enough for his disciples to tell him that it was getting late, and to let the people go into the neighboring towns so that they could get food. I can see their faces when Jesus told his disciples to feed the people, and as we have read, they even attempted to challenge Jesus about what he had just instructed them to do. Never the less, they do their best to come up with something that Jesus can work with. After all, they have seen what He can do, even in their doubt they obeyed His command. The disciples somehow come across a basket that has two fish and five loaves of bread. Jesus, satisfied with their effort to at least bring Him something, takes it, breaks the bread, blesses it and hands it back to to the disciples to distribute to the people.
As they begin to pass the basket around. The people begin to pull out the food that they prepared and brought with them on their journey. They kept some, but then added the rest to the basket so that more could eat. As the basket continued to go around through the crowd, everyone began to do the same thing. They kept enough food for their family to eat, and placed the rest in the basket. Those who did not have, were able to eat, and those who had plenty, were able to give what they didn't need. The spirit of giving was so strong, that the people had to start another basket, because the first basket was filled to the brim with fish and bread. This continued to go on, through the crowd, families sharing what they had, placing extra in the basket. Once everyone had given and eaten, there were still 12 baskets full of fish and bread that were left over.
Which would be easier for Jesus to do? To have food automatically fill up the baskets and be passed out to the people? Or to encourage the people by showing them how to pray, and give back to God, what they do have, thus showing them how the principle of giving brings increase that becomes more than enough for everyone? I believe both would have been easy for Jesus to do, He is God and nothing is impossible, but I believe even more, that God is able to perform miracles directly out of our willingness and obedience to act or do something according to His Word...even though it looks like there is not enough to work with.
Now, we don't know how it exactly happened, the Word does not give specific detail about how all of these people were able to eat from 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. It just tells us that He asked for what was available, blessed it and gave it back. This was the revelation that I was given and it helped me to really pay attention to how important it is that we as the body of Christ, listen, obey and then collaborate through what we are able to give, to accomplish God's plan. He wants us to love Him, and to love People. You may not have money, but you have materials. You may not have materials but you have produce. You may not have produce, but you have grain. You may not have grain, but you have time. You many not have time, but you have ideas. You may not have ideas but you have a gift or a talent. Whatever you have to give, it is worth it to give it back to God, so that He can bless it and multiply it.
Japan, in one day, went from being the third wealthiest country in the world, to becoming a country that is now in need. In need financially, emotionally and spiritually. I was asked to write a song, that would be used to promote relief efforts to this nation. I worked with my label and management, and we gathered artist throughout the city, that wanted to give of their gift and talent with 100% of the proceeds going to fund relief work through well established organizations such as World Vision and Red Cross. The amount of time and money that it would take to put something together like this, in the natural seemed impossible, yet I used what was in my hands, a pen and words inspired by the Holy Spirit and I put that into the basket, then a great producer gave of his amazing gift, and put it into the basket, then amazing vocalist gave of their voice, and put it into the basket, other creative aspects of this project from graphic work, to studio time, to video recording, to post production, were put into the basket. The resources that were collaboratively sown into this project, have overflowed to the brim, all because God asked us, to give Him what we have, and in our giving back to Him, He blessed it and multiplied it.
The song: Over all the Earth, written by me and produced by Derek "DC" Clark will debut soon, and I am so excited for you to hear it. If you have not had the opportunity, to put what you have in the basket, so that people can be blessed, you will have an opportunity to do so in a few short weeks.
Until the next Blog, remember yawl...Life is Choice, and Choice is Key.
Blessings!
Fahren~
