How Many Loaves Do You Have?

“How many loaves do you have?" Matthew 15:34

In the 15th chapter of Matthew, Jesus sees the crowd following him, and his heart is moved with pity. He says, “I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” His disciples were dismayed and wondered, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?”

We would say the same, don't you think? In the 8th chapter of Mark, there were about 4000 people. The disciples asked the same thing, but with less incredulity. "How are we supposed to find enough food for them here in the wilderness?"

Undaunted, Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do YOU have?" And they answered they just had 7 loaves and a few fish. Too little to feed the crowd! 

I like these passages about the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, because it shows that miracles START with what we have in our hand. What we have available. I always remember when our little group giving the Good News every week in QC Jail was asked by the prison administrator to prepare 200 gift bags for the inmates for Christmas. I was just as incredulous as the disciples! How would we do that? But that Christmas we were able to prepare 300 bags! And what a wonderful sight to behold the inmates' faces as they opened their bags to find a pair of shorts, food, shampoo, laundry soap, etc. They told us it was like they received 2 bags! It was more than they expected! And we were able to do this for several years until the pandemic put a stop to the visits to the jail. I know many of my friends who just give what is in their hand. And God is able to use that and multiply it!

How many loaves do WE have in our hand? Let us put it in God's hand and see miracles!