“Mark 6:41-44 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
This is a wonderful miracle. People love this story. This story even spawned its own principle, the law of the loaves and fishes.
So, when you hold a church potluck, according to the law of the loaves and fishes, you expect there to be enough food for all who attend, regardless of how well the event was prepared.
Or, if you only have a handful of resources, turn them over to Jesus, and according to the law of the loaves and fishes, he will multiply your resources and give you an abundant return with leftovers just spilling out of the bag.
Or, when faced with an impossible situation of insufficient resources to serve a crowd, according to the law of the loaves and fishes, put the contents of your pockets in the hands of Jesus, like your gum, and pocketknife, and three nickels, and God will provide a way to serve everyone.
God certainly provides like that on occasion. But that law of the loaves and fishes misses the point of this passage. Jesus satisfies. And he satisfies abundantly. And he satisfies beyond bread. And he satisfies all who come to him. His well cannot run dry. His stores do not draw down.
Therefore, go wander into the desolate place with Jesus to rest and be refreshed. And then come back, rested and refreshed in Christ, and live by the law of the loaves and fishes out of the abundance of Christ. But the law of the loaves and fishes starts with a person who goes to the desolate places with Christ and learns from him, from his grace. Therefore, when he does ministry, he does it out of the abundance of Christ, and not out of the insufficiency of your own well.”
