Jesus – moved with compassion (3) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

Jesus said to them (the disciples), They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat. And they said to him We have here only five loaves and two fish. He said, Bring them here to me. ... He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
Matthew 14: 16 - 19.

Jesus - moved with compassion (3)
Jesus' response to His disciples' suggestion to send the crowd away must have taken them by surprise. But they quickly found an excuse to justify themselves: "We have here only five loaves and two fishes." What use was so little to satisfy a crowd numbering some thousands? But the Lord Jesus did not scold them. He . He simply told them to produce the little they had. Man's helplessness and powerlessness receded into the background in the presence of the omnipotent Son of God.

Now the Lord could take care of the situation. He first made the multitude sit down on the grass in groups of fifty and a hundred. He then took the bread and the fish, looked up to heaven and blessed the food by giving thanks to God for it. After breaking the loaves He ordered the disciples to distribute the food among the crowd. The meal proved more than adequate: we read that "they all ate and were filled" (v. 20). This is always the result, when people receive what the Lord Jesus has to offer them.

The crowd had witnessed one miracle, but another was to follow immediately. Despite the fact that that vast multitude had eaten their fill, the left-overs filled twelve baskets - a fitting illustration of the Lord's gracious provision for all who trust in Him. This was divine compassion indeed!

(to be continued on Thursday)

Today‘s reading: 1 Kings 22: 41 - 54 · John 15: 9 - 17