How Many Loaves?

 

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. (Mark 8:5, NIV)

Most of us know in a moment which Bible story that line comes from—the miracle of the feeding of the 4,000. So, seeing a devotion based on this phrase didn’t bring anticipation of something new. I guessed it was probably about God’s wonderful provisions, or maybe even something about thanking Him for the ways He provides. How wrong I was.

As I read the devo, thoughts and questions slammed my brain and forced me to look up the entire passage in multiple translations and take copious notes. I love when the Holy Spirit does this—opens the eyes of my heart to truths I never considered in Scriptures I’ve read hundreds of times.

“How many loaves do you have?”

The author of the devotion spoke of wanting to help the needs of people but wondered how she could do so when so many were needy. When she read the scripture mentioned above, one line stood out to her.

Jesus asked His disciples to feed the multitudes who surrounded them. When they complained

about having nowhere to buy food in their remote location, Jesus asked, “How many loaves do YOU have?” (emphasis mine)

He didn’t send the disciples to the market in the next town, nor ask them to find a lad with a lunch. Instead, as the devo’s author noted, His first question was about what they had in their possession that could help.

Mark 8:1

I finished reading the devotion, but I itched to read the Scriptures themselves, wondering if there might be more trivia, so to speak, that I didn’t know. Even more so, I wanted to see what these words might offer me in my current stage of life.

In verse 1, I read how Jesus saw the people had nothing to eat and He called His disciples to Him. Lightbulb #1.

Our Father has seen the condition of the hearts of His people on earth today. And He knows they need fed—physically and spiritually. And what does He do? Drop manna from heaven? Bring ravens or make rocks spew out water?

No, He calls His disciples … us … me to help.

Mark 8:2

In the next verse, I saw Jesus’s compassion for His flock coming through. He tells the disciples how some of the people have followed Him for three days and most likely have nothing left to eat.

Lightbulb #2, did you catch what I caught there? The people followed Jesus for three days! Walking! Over long distances and with barely any food and surely no “creature comforts.” Would I do that? Bears some thinking and praying about, huh?

Okay, lightbulb #3 came through next. Jesus assumed His disciples would be overjoyed to feed the multitudes. Yes, hunger, weariness, and miles of walking had worn all the people and the disciples out. Yet, God expected them to cheerfully feed His people.

In John 21:15-19, Jesus restores Peter’s belief in Himself after having denied knowing Him while He went through His scourging and crucifixion. First, He asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Peter answered yes each time. Then the Lord charged Peter to “Feed My sheep.”

Well, sure, I love Him, and I count myself among today’s disciples; ergo, I must find ways to “feed” His people. The devotional writer found a way to feed God’s people in a gardening venture. How will I do the same?

Mark 8:5

When I came to Mark 8:25, my heart agreed with the author. This verse’s message cuts to the core of all Christians who seek to serve Jesus in any capacity—giving, teaching, helping, and, for my current search and purpose, writing.

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

Indeed, how many “loaves” DO I have? And what type of “bread”?

For over thirty years, I searched for ways for God to use my writing and teaching gifts. Homeschooling brought me that sense of fulfillment I’d longed for, but that ended. Years ago. And writing devotions for Guideposts delights me, as does writing the posts for Inspire a Fire.

But I’m turning 65 this month, and my heart has become more attuned to the hungry in our world. My first commissioning verse for my writing came from a verse in Isaiah about “speaking a Word in season to him who is weary.” (Isaiah 50:4, NKJV) Insert “writing” for “speaking,” and it became my motto and fit me to a T.

Who are the weary people God wants me to “feed” today? What gifts do I have right now to offer? I’ve

used my teaching skills, my writing and editing skills, and my mentoring skills. What else does God want me to do?

Perhaps reading the rest of the Scriptures would help.

Mark 8:5-7

We all know what happened next, and the Scripture account verified what I knew. Loaves and fish materialized. Jesus gave thanks for the offering and passed them to the disciples.

But here’s the next light bulb moment for me. Not that our Lord thanked the Father for His provision. Not that He gave it to the disciples. But what He told them to do: “to distribute them to the people.”

Bear with me here. What else were they to do with them than give them to the people, right? Right.

BUT …

Ignite your imagination a moment. Think of receiving half a loaf of bread and a small piece of fish from Jesus. Hold them in your hands. See the pitiful amount. Then look out over a large hillside filled with thousands of people!

You look at your brothers beside you, also holding a pittance, gazing open-mouthed at the multitudes. Slowly, you raise an eyebrow, shrug your shoulders, and sneak a glance at Jesus. He’s simply standing there, eyes raised to heaven, a peaceful visage.

What could you do except start handing out the little you have? Expecting … expecting what, exactly?

The Million-watt Lightbulb Moment

Let’s pull this together:

Lightbulb #1—Jesus called me to be a disciple.

Lightbulb #2—Following Him and His call is a long-term commitment.

Lightbulb #3—I love Jesus. He’s called me to “feed” His people. I long to do so.

Lightbulb #4—He’s given me enough to “feed” them. But what will I DO with the little bit I think I see in my hands, mind, and heart?

The disciples simply started handing them out. “Here, this half a loaf and bit of fish is for you.” Now what? It’s gone. But wait! What’s this? Another portion? Here, sir, this is for you. And another portion? How is this happening? It’s a miracle!

Leftovers

Mark 8:8

“Afterward, the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”

Leftovers gathered into baskets end our story. But why? Why gather the leftovers? Ever consider that?

Maybe to feed other people? Maybe for their own sustenance as they continued their journey, healing and teaching?

I don’t believe the message here has to do with the why. I believe God wanted me to see that there WILL BE leftovers if I use the small thing in my hand.

Leftover time. Leftover words. Leftover ideas (yeah … I’ve got leftovers of the leftovers in those!) Leftover loaves.

Great Idea

What if I use the ideas I gleaned from these scriptures for a short story, another for a gift book devotional, then a children’s storybook, then homeschool curriculum for parents of children with neurodiversity—what if I then distribute these things to His weary people?

Yes, first I must write them, find an editor, then a publisher, a path of marketing, find this … find that, do this … do that. This does not sound as easy as handing out the loaves and fish.

Missing Step?

Now, I have an idea of how many loaves I have. I know they are valuable, usable, and workable.

But I forgot one key step. I must stop and give God thanks for the little I have … each little bit.

Type the title, thank God. Write one page today, thank God. Only wrote one paragraph? Thank God. And if I don’t miss my guess, I believe all the little bits will add up to enough to “feed” a multitude of weary people, people Jesus has ready for my “loaves and fish.”

How many loaves do I have?

You know what? Maybe it doesn’t matter if all I have are crumbs. Maybe what matters is that I offer the crumbs to my Jesus, thank Him for them, and blindly trust Him to make them enough to distribute to His needy people.

Now, I ask you,

“How many loaves do YOU have?”