15 Feb Loaves and Fishes and the In-Between

The story I’m about to share is a prime example of how challenges we face in life can be perceived as problems that stymie us or opportunities to be blessed by God. The choice is ours!

Samaritan’s Heart Mission Church opens its doors every Sunday afternoon from November to April to unhoused guests. We call it “WiTH:” Warming in The Heart. The numbers vary, but there are roughly 100 people each week. We have been blessed to have about 30 of them join us for morning service each week. It’s a blessing that came with a challenge.

WiTH is scheduled for 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Our service ends at 10:00 AM. We weren’t prepared to have guests for the two and a half hours, the “in-between” time between the end of service and WiTH. In fact, we began to call that period “The In-Between.” Would we have volunteers to care for them? They would need lunch: how would we feed 30 people we hadn’t planned on feeding? The answer: God showed us how He handled a challenge like, but dramatically larger than the In-Between. It’s the story where Jesus feeds 5,000 men (and probably 10,000 women and children) with five barley loaves and two fish.

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:13-21

“They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Boy, sometimes, God hits you right between the eyes. It’s as if this story was designed to guide us through the In-Between.

In his telling of this event, the apostle John adds some details Matthew left out. First, he informs us that it is a young boy who provides the meager meal offering. Second, we hear skepticism voiced by Philip and Andrew that there was no way to feed the masses with what they had. We had some of those same voices with the In-Between. Then God showed up and showed off.

First, he provided the volunteers to stay with our guests. Then, instead of loaves and fishes, he produced sandwiches and chips. One of my cousins and his wife heard about our need. They reach out to family members (pictured above) and provide the food on some Sundays. A gentleman from another church is also helping out and most Sundays are covered between the two sources. It’s a modest meal, but our guests are very appreciative.

No, we didn’t have to send them away. Yes, God has provided the food we need to feed them. There is an old mantra that almost every sales manager at every company that ever existed knew: “Treat problems as opportunities.”

In Jesus’ economy, it’s: “Treat every challenge as an opportunity to show faith in God, be blessed by Him and bless others with His provision. What seemingly insurmountable challenge are you facing today that God wants you to see as an opportunity to be blessed by Him and then bless others? If you look hard enough, there is a good chance you will find one!

Pastor Jerry Bader