And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?”
The disciples’ question of Jesus sounds like a repeat. Having already miraculously fed 5,000 men plus women and children, the disciples’ response to the desire of Jesus to feed the crowd before Him is puzzling.
Surprisingly, Jesus does not counter the disciples’ question with, “where is your faith?!” He proceeds to do a miracle on their behalf and the behalf of the crowd.
After reading the story of the Gentile woman who received healing and freedom for her daughter, and after learning that her faith opened the door to that miracle, it’s easy to think that we lack in some way. When we look at our lives and see a place that needs healing or freedom but hasn’t yet received it, we can stumble into thinking that we lack faith.
Thank You Jesus for those disciples! Where was their faith? They had seen Jesus feed 5,000 men plus women and children. Here before them stood 4,000 men plus women and children. So lacking was their faith that they did not even think to ask for a miracle, much less suggest it!
Even so, Jesus did the miracle! Faith opens the door to miracles, but Jesus can do them even if we lack it!
The disciples were still learning, and often times so are we. Maybe they didn’t have the faith to step out or speak up about a miracle, but they had enough faith to do what He told them to do.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to put your faith in Him. Perhaps today God wants you to forgive yourself for seemingly not having enough faith (He only needs a mustard-seed-amount anyway). Maybe God wants to believe that He a miracle in your life just because He’s good and He has compassion for you (that’s something to put your faith in). Perhaps He is just waiting for you to do do what He is asking you to do.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 406-411, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 15:29–34) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).