Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

“Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, and when He had given thanks, He broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people.” Matthew 15:36

Did you know Jesus fed the masses, not once, but twice in His earthly ministry? It wasn’t until I was studying for this devotion that I realized that the miracle in today’s passage happened twice in the Bible. In Matthew 14, Jesus fed a crowd of more than 5,000 people. In today’s verses, however, Jesus was meeting with a crowd of 4,000 followers. There are often multiple accounts of miracles found in the Gospels, but for these miracles of feeding the masses, Mark and Matthew both give accounts of these two miracles separately with different details of where the feeding took place, who was involved, and the number of loaves and fish. Since both feedings are mentioned in Matthew and Mark, this indicates that these events are not contradictory but did indeed happen twice!

In studying the Word, I found similarities between the two events. Here’s what we can observe from these miracles.

JESUS ASSEMBLED THE CROWD AND HAD THEM SIT DOWN TOGETHER.

• This is symbolic of gathering for fellowship. As a family of believers, we need fellowship with one another as we sit down together and take part in shared meals. Our church meets this need through House Church fellowship.
  

JESUS TOOK THE FOOD AND GAVE THANKS BEFORE THE MIRACLE.

• This symbolizes that gratitude comes before a miracle. This is a reminder of why we bless our food and those who have prepared it. It also symbolizes how gratitude comes before a blessing.
  

JESUS USES THE DISCIPLES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MIRACLES.

• This symbolizes that ministry must be collaborative. Ministry is never the responsibility of one. As we search our hearts for how to engage with others and to serve, we can find our perfect place for God to use us for Kingdom work.
  

JESUS USES SOME LOAVES AND A FEW SMALL FISH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF MANY.

• This symbolizes that Jesus can take whatever we have to meet our needs. No amount is too small for Him to use for our good and His glory. Maybe you have a need that you feel cannot possibly be fulfilled with what you have on hand. God teaches us throughout the Bible that His answer is often far greater than our asks.
  

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
  
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
  
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
  
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
  
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.