Treasure of lessons in the loaves and fishes

"And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, He looked up to heaven, and blesses, and break the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided He among them all."

- Mark 6:41

One person has written, "The simple food passed round by the hand of the disciples contained a whole treasure of lessons." Let's look at some of them:

1. The simplicity of the fare Jesus provided. Here is the Creator of the universe at work, feeding a crowd of hungry humans. He could have made caviar; He gave them fish. He could have created croissants; He provided barley bread. But never were bread and fish as tasty! Plain, simple, wholesome food, well-cooked and well-served, still satisfies the most.

2. Jesus cares for all the needs of His children. He who fed the multitude on the mountainside long ago still provides even for the robins and the sparrows. Every good thing comes from His hand - and the best of all is His presence. "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you," He promises (Hebrews 13:5). We are complete in Him. "My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

3. God calls us to cooperate with Him. Jesus performed the miracle of multiplying the loaves and the fish, but the disciples first brought the five loaves and two fish to Him. The disciples also distribute the food to the crowd. Jesus didn't create the banquet on a zero base, nor did He put it in the mouths of the people.

4. Gather up the fragments. He who had infinite resources at His right hand told the disciples to pick up the fragments, that nothing should be lost.

When Rajneesh, the guru at Antelope, Ore., was at the height of his popularity, he owned more than 60 Rolls Royces! For him, religion meant getting.

What a contrast with the Son of God, who left heaven for us! As He lived to impart life to others, so are we to feed His fragments to men and women today.

- Al Tilstra is pastor of Yerington and Silver Springs Seventh-day Adventist churches.