Bible Reading

In Matthew 14, we have the account of the feeding of the 5,000, which was probably much greater than that number. It is interesting that when the disciples came to Jesus with the problem of having so many hungry people, that He said to them: "YOu go feed them." He was probably teaching them that they are not sufficient in themselves and that He was needed for them to accomplish anything. However, He was also teaching them, that through Him, they could do great things. And He did use them to give out the bread and fish. It is also recorded that 12 baskets of bread were collected after everyone was full. The text doesn't tell us this, but it seems to me that Jesus was making a point with His disciples, with one basket of bread being left over for each disciple. See what God can do.

The next story given has to do with the disciples out on rough waters in a storm and Jesus walking by them on the water! They were terrified of Him, thinking He was a ghost! Then, when Jesus got in the boat and calm the storm, they were completely amazed. In the same account in Mark, we read this: "They did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened."

This gives us insight into the story in Matthew 14. They should have learned from their experience with the feeding of the 5,000 that God can do anything. Walking on the water and calming the storm should not have been a surprise, but just an additional proof of the fact that Jesus was God and that they could fully trust Him. But, instead, their hearts were hardened. They didn't lean what they could have with the previous miracle. They also should have known that God could do through them what they could not do on their own. At least Peter had the courage to step out and walk on the water when Jesus told Him he could. But, like all of us, he quickly doubted and began to sank, crying out for Jesus to rescue Him.

This is no different than the lives we live today. We must struggle daily to know who God is and fully trust Him. We must guard against having a hardened heart that lives in fear and doubt. And as led, we must step out in faith, not seeing the path ahead, but trusting that God will guide us and do through us what we could not do on our own.