God Can Make Your Little Go a Long Way

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over—Matthew 14:17-20 (ESV)

For Insight

We’ve known some times of abundance in our marriage, but we’ve also known times where things were scarce. Time where there wasn’t much and the little we had needed to stretch a long way. We can identify with what Paul writes in Philippians where he said, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want (Php. 4:12).

I can remember a period we struggled to even feed our family in a healthy way. It’s hard to see you children hungry or know you cannot give them everything their little bodies need to stay healthy and grow strong. It must be every loving parent’s nightmare that they would run out of food or necessities and have to stretch something so far or water it down so much it is depleted of any real nutritional value.    

The story of how Jesus fed thousands of people with only five little loaves and a few fish reminds me of the times we depended upon God and trusted him to make our little go a long way. And it helps me remember how God can sustain us on very little and that anything given to him in prayer, asking him to bless our little can become our “more than enough.”  

A large number had followed Jesus all the way from the other side of the lake. A great many of them had followed Jesus from other villages. They were fascinated by seeing him heal those who were sick; those who suffered all kinds of conditions. They followed Jesus because they wanted to see more miracles and Jesus, being who he was always, did not disappoint them because his compassions never fail and always compel him to minister to the hurting and needy. Even when his disciples suggested he send the large crowd away to find their own food Jesus rejected that. He knew God could make even the tiniest crumb sufficient for our need.

Like the large crowd, when we follow Jesus, we won’t be without his covering and care. We don’t follow Jesus for the miracles he can perform, but receiving miracles is a benefit of relationship with him. When we lift our emptiness to the Lord he can supply any need, be it physical, emotional, mental, relational, or spiritual, it does not matter where our need or lack is located or what it stems from. The God who works miracles can make our little go a long way.

Lord, thank you for making the little we have more than enough. Amen  

Application:

Does the thought of not having enough frighten you? On a scale of 1-10 how much do you trust Jesus to make your little go a long way?