We are continuing to examine how Christ lived and served the Father.

Jesus lived and served the Father by trusting in Him, even when no one else would. In Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus fed “about fi ve thousand men, besides women and children” with fi ve loaves of bread and two fi sh. Just prior to this miraculous event, the disciples were worried and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food” (Matt. 14:15). The disciples were worried that there was not going to be enough food for the multitude, as Philip would point out that “two hundred denarii worth of bread is not suffi cient for them” (John 6:7). The disciples were thinking that if the multitude is not sent away, we will not be able to take care of them and a lot of people, including ourselves, will go hungry. Just like with many accounts preceding this, the disciples had forgotten Who was with them.

One such account is found in Matthew 8:23-27, when the disciples got into a boat with Jesus and He fell asleep. While Jesus slept, “suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves” (Matt. 8:24). This scared the disciples, despite the fact that Jesus was with them, and they woke Jesus saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” (Matt. 8:25). Jesus would rebuke them saying, “Why are you fearful, 0 you of little faith?” (Matt. 8:26). He then rebuked the winds and the sea, but His disciples still asked, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matt. 8:27). Again, they had forgotten Who was with them.

The gospel of John’s account of the feeding of the five thousand reveals that Jesus was testing His disciples. “Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?’ But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.” (John 8:5-6). Philip responded by saying that they cannot buy food for everyone, because they didn’t have enough money! Andrew pointed out that there was a boy with fi ve fi sh and two loaves then asked, “but what are they among so many?” (John 8:9). So, their conclusion from this was—let’s send them away (Matt. 14:15).

This author can just see Jesus shaking His head in disapproval, like my father would have if I would have given him an answer that he knew I knew better. Jesus said to His disciples, “Bring them [the five loaves of bread and two fish] here to Me” (Matt. 14:18) and pay careful attention this time. “Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And 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” (Matt. 14:19). Can you see the look of dismay on the disciples’ faces when they gathered up twelve baskets of leftovers after the multitude was done eating? (Matt. 14:20) Much the same, they had marveled at Jesus’ rebuke of the wind and the sea, because they had forgotten Who was with them.

When we fi nd ourselves in these types of situations today, with life’s storms all around, what will be our response to the test? Will we want to send the multitude away or be afraid of the storm? Or will we throw our anchor (Heb. 6:19) and be assured that He will take care of us through the storm, just like Jesus did? Will we look to Him to provide the meal, even when the circumstances seem impossible? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be fi lled” (Matt. 5:6).

Just something to consider.