• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Prayer
    • Examen
    • Fasting
    • Sacred Reading
    • Self-denial
    • Silence & Solitude
    • The Sacred Everyday
  • Bible Studies
    • To Do-ers List
    • 1 Thessalonians: A Life of Faith
    • Scripture Art Journaling
    • Walking WIth God: A Bible Study on the Book of Ruth
    • Short & Sweet
    • Daily Bible Studies
    • Take 5!
    • Bible Journal-graphics
    • Scripturegraphics
    • Guides
  • Podcasts
    • Reflections
    • ihear
    • i pray
    • Walking in Truth
    • Topical podcasts
  • Salvation
  • Healthy Living
    • Aromatherapy
    • Children
    • Exercise
      • Faith & Fit
      • Free One-Week Workout!
    • Gardening
    • Herbs
    • My Journey to Migraine Relief: Healing My Vertigo
    • Natural Beauty
    • Recipes
    • Stress
  • Shop
  • Nav Widget Area

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

Only By Prayer

Where the sacred and everyday meet

You are here: Home / Blog / Fish-and-Loaves Faith

Fish-and-Loaves Faith

Fish and Loaves Faith

“Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barely loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:8

Read John 6:1-15

Miracle Story

Of all the miracle stories in the Bible, this is one of my favorites–for many reasons. First of all, I love the fact that the lunch of five small barley loaves and two small fish belonged to a child.

Understand, the Bible leaves some of the details of this exchange to our imaginations, so I don’t know that this is exactly how the story unfolded, but I imagine it playing out in the following way:

The Bible tells us that Jesus asks Philip where they should go to buy bread for the five thousand people to eat. Philip replies that eight months of salary wouldn’t be nearly enough to feed the crowd of people.

Here is where things get interesting. I think that perhaps a young boy who is sitting close to where Jesus is teaching hears the conversation between Jesus and his friends and eagerly offers his lunch that his mom packed for him that morning. It would be just like a child not to see the futility of his meager lunch feeding such a crowd, but to instead faithfully hand over his bread and fish to Andrew to give to Jesus. And it would be just the typical adult thing to then bring it to Jesus—with the caveat of “but how far will they go among so many?”

Spark of Faith

Jesus was just waiting for that spark of faith. He takes the lunch, has everyone sit down, gives thanks for the fish and bread, and passes it around–and everyone took as much as they wanted (v. 11). After they had all eaten, Jesus wants nothing wasted, so the disciples gather up 12 baskets of leftovers!

Doesn’t it seem that we could learn a lot about faith from children? In most cases, their minds have not yet been clouded by the harsh realities of life. It’s not hard for them to believe in the improbable, or the impossible.Their eyes can easily see the thin space between the reality of this world and the unseen heavenlies where angels, miracles, and God all live. Jesus took the little boy’s lunch and multiplied it into a buffet for 5000.

That’s the kind of faith that Jesus is watching for, that we need to cultivate. A faith that causes us to unflinchingly step forward and offer up our bread and fish to Jesus to multiply beyond our wildest expectations.

When we feel that nudge of the Spirit to take our offering to God, we need to stamp out the adult voice that rises up with a “But, …” and just give it. Or just do it.

What does this look like in our lives?

  • The nudge to give that $20 to a charity, even though it’s just a drop in the bucket of what’s needed.
  • The nudge to teach a Bible class, even though you’re not a “real” teacher.
  • The nudge to keep praying for your wayward child, even though you haven’t seen any change in three years.
  • The nudge to start a Moms-In-Touch prayer group at your child’s school, even though you’ve never led anything in the past.

A vibrant faith requires that I present to God what I have. Jesus is waiting for people with a fish-and-loaves faith to take Him up on His promises so He can to equip us (2 Timothy 3:17) and set us loose in His kingdom. The results are up to Him.

What do you have to offer Him today? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Fish-and-Loaves Faith is the second post in our  faith series. Please leave a comment below on your thoughts, feelings, or experiences in growing your faith.

Image courtesy of [FrameAngel] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

image_pdfimage_print

October 9, 2012 10:03 pm Jane VanOsdol Leave a Comment Filed Under: Blog, Encouragement, Grow Your Faith, Insights, Living Truth

Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

How to Become a Christ Follower

https://youtu.be/K0HALBis50A

New to prayer? Start here:

A prayer is mightier than a wish

Prayer Resources

A Little About Mary

MaryKBible study writer. Teacher. Runner. A fan of all four seasons. Loves Jesus. Follow me @MaryKayKane. Read More…

A Little About Jane

AvatarFollow of Jesus. Writer. Beekeeper, herbalist, and aromatherapist. Love looking for the sacred in the everyday. Often find it in the garden. How about you? Read More…

Subscribe to Podcast on iTunes

Please pray as Covid is quickly spreading through many areas of our country and the world. Click on this link to see what One Prayer is all about and for information on the current prayer concern.

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Only by Prayer

Only by Prayer
Only by Prayer
Only by Prayer
4 6    View on Facebook

Search by Topic

Advent Advent devotional Bible Bible study Bible study series Christ Christmas devotion Easter faith following Jesus give thanks God God's Word Grace healing heart Holy Spirit hope Jesus Lent life Lord love online Bible study Only By Prayer peace podcast pray prayer prayers praying purpose quick Bible Study quick devotions Ruth scripture Short & sweet short Bible studies short Bible study short devotions sin Thanksgiving walk by faith women's Bible study

Archives

Privacy Policy

Daily Bible Studies

Psalm 23 Remix

Psalm 23 Remix

July 9, 2020 By MaryK Leave a Comment

Psalm 23 is one of the the most well-known parts of the Bible. People who do not claim to be religious can quote parts of Psalm 23. Christians have become so familiar with this beloved psalm we almost cease to hear it. What we need is a Psalm 23 remix- a fresh look at an […]

Newsletter Subscription

My Favorite Post

Just Jesus

I love Christmas. I love the displays, the music, the food and the lights, but this was overwhelming. Despite the fact that it was night, I needed my sunglasses. The light emanating from the Christmas display of a neighboring house was overwhelming. Think air-traffic control tower…light house…l.e.d. headlights straight to the retinas. I’m sure this[Read More…]

Only By Prayer Tweets

OnlyByPrayer
OnlyByPrayer @by_prayer

🙏 Calling all prayer warriors! - https://t.co/EHD9rKILc5 https://t.co/16s6EewPUG
View on Twitter
by_prayer photo
0
0
OnlyByPrayer
OnlyByPrayer @by_prayer

New Book Helps You Pray for USA🙏 - https://t.co/N4Eulh7xcO https://t.co/sc6tuALuCD
View on Twitter
by_prayer photo
0
0

Footer

Feature Anything

Advent
youtu.be/yIppN9kruB0

How can you go about “re-adventing” Advent and Christmas in the midst of the unfamiliar, the challenges of 2020? What does this look like for[Read More…]

Featured Product

Beeswax Candles

A Featured Item

The Lord is near

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to those who have a[Read More…]

  • About Us
    • About Jane
    • About Mary
  • Contact Jane and Mary

© Copyright 2016 · Pretty Lifestyle WordPress Theme by: PDCD