Hands gritty and slimy, I cling on to that smelly fish. It’s my catch – the food I have harvested for my sustenance, and it took quite some time to catch those little suckers. With power of my own, I threw that rod into the stream and pulled up not just one silver albacore, but two.

The same with these loaves of bread, the fire in my home made the yeast rise – standing tall and plump. The spices in my cabinet made these loaves savory to the taste. Now, this is my lunch, the meal that fuels my body with protein and vitamins.

However, like the little boy in John, so often, God asks me to give up my catch and wait for his miracle to unfold.

Oh how often we hold on to our catch of the day. When God asks for us to give those slimy fish over to him, we grunt and groan.

We worry – and think if I give this up, what if God does not provide? Or we give four loaves of crispy bread over, keeping one for ourselves (just in case).

That little boy, in the parable of the loaves and fish, believed God could feed five-thousand. He gave up his lunch willingly with the risk that he, himself, might not get fed. Yet, he believed and trusted in the Father and waited for the beautiful multiplying nature of the King of Kings.

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.  They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children! – Matthew 14: 19-21

Praise be to Jehovah Jireh – for he truly is the LORD that provides.

When we unclench those smelly fish, hand over the loaves of bread behind our backs and turn them over to God (in faith), he surely will not disappoint.

He is the God that preformed a miracle in Sarah’s belly. He is the Maker that filled the widows oil basins. He is the presence that walked with David when he slung that stone at Goliath.

“True faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God’s fidelity to His Promises.” – Francis Chan

Jehovah Jireh, My provider – His grace is sufficient for me.