2 Flaky Halibuts and 5 Loaves of Garlic Bread (the Costco kind)

Yum right?  Light and flaky halibut with a little freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.  And who doesn't love that garlic bread from Costco?  You know the kind over in the bakery and it has little cloves of roasted garlic actually in the bread.  MMM, pop it in the oven, slather a little butter.  I can eat a whole loaf by myself.  No, really I can!

Well it probably was not so gourmet (can Costco be called gourmet)?
Jesus had just sent the apostles out to go village to village with nothing "not even a tunic" (no worries about being seen in the same outfit twice).  To go and preach the good news and to heal the sick.  After their travels they all met back up sharing with Jesus what they had done.  Jesus then took them with him to Bethsaida, for a little R and R.  But word got out and crowds started forming.  Jesus being, well, Jesus; he welcomed them shared with them about the kingdom of God and healed them.



Bethsaida is on the north east coast of the Sea of Galilee.

As the day went on and on the apostles told Jesus it was time to send the crowds away to go find food and a place to stay because where they were it would take people some time to go find both of those.

"He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish–unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over."  Luke 9:13-17.

5000 people (more than likely more than that when you add the women and children), two fish, and five loaves of bread (not the yummy Costco garlic kind).  Not only was every one fed and satisfied, but they had leftovers!  All from one basket of food about the size of a lunch. 

Did you see something before all of that great miracle?  Here, let me show you again..."Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them." 

"...he gave thanks..."

The joy precedes the miracle.  Before the people ate and were satisfied, he gave thanks.  Before there were twelve baskets of leftovers, he gave thanks.  The joy precedes the miracle.  I think we often forget this part.  I know I am still learning this...eucharisteo.

Now there is a way for you, (yes you) to give up your lunch of fish and bread and be apart of God's miracle.

"Feed the 5,000 is a movement to sponsor children around the world and grow our hearts. Inspired by the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with just one child’s lunch, newlife asked the question – could Jesus feed the world with our lunch?"

Check it out.  See what God is urging you to do.  And remember to give thanks...the joy precedes the miracle.