(5) Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"
(6) He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
(7) Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little."
(8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,
(9) "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?"
(10) Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.
(11) Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
(12) And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost."
(John 6:35) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Just as He fed the 5000, and had some left over, the lesson for us is this...He is the bread of life, and when we eat that bread, it is in us a constant source of nourishment that continually feeds us, just as His Spirit is a spring within us that never runs dry that causes us to never thirst again. Those who eat His flesh, and drink His blood, never hunger or thirst for spiritual life, as He is in them the constant source of it forever.
We look at the crowds as a problem, Jesus looked at the crowds with compassion and grace, seeing their great need. He already knows what He will do, yet He wants us to be a part of it and reveal Himself through His servants. Lord, awaken us to the dire needs around us with the same compassion as You! As we give you the little bread that we have, make it multiply to feed whoever has need.
He is sufficient for all our needs. We all have a hunger that only He can satisfy. There is "bread" enough for all and even more with some left over. This was humanly impossible, but not with God. He only looks for faith - for trust in Who He is, His love, His care, His power, His provision for His own. He is our very sustenance.
Ironside:
Am I addressing someone who finds himself in peculiarly difficult and trying circumstances, and who is wondering if God has forgotten or if He has lost all interest in you? Let me tell you this: if you have trusted Him as your own Savior, His heart is always toward you, and He knows what He is going to do. He is not going to let you down. He is not going to leave you in the lurch. It may seem as though there is no possible way of meeting your present need, but He knows what He will do. We look at the things that we can see. We can become so discouraged and disturbed as we take circumstances into account, but our blessed Lord Jesus Christ is never affected by circumstances.
...Do you feel like wringing your hands and crying out in despair, “Everything is going wrong. All these things are against me.” Oh, no, they are not. God is for you. If God is for you, who can be against you? Our blessed Lord is for you. “We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet apart from sin” (Heb_4:15), because “he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Isa_2:18). And He knows what He is going to do. He is planning for you, my brother, at this very moment. He is planning for you, my sister. Believe it. Trust Him, and be assured that He is going to undertake in His own good time for you.
Think on that today. Let your heart be open to feast on that true bread, until your hunger is satisfied in Him. Let your soul be filled to overflow so that there is much left over to share with others as well.
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