Head: Know God's Word | Heart: Love God | Hands: Follow God's Way   

Read Matthew 14:13-21 

Head 

I love the story in our reading today. Jesus had just found out that John the Baptist had died. He went out on a boat to be by Himself for a bit, but a crowd followed Him on foot. Jesus went ashore, felt compassion for them, and healed the sick. This lasted all day and that evening the disciples wanted Jesus to send the people back home so they could buy food for themselves. Jesus told the disciples that they would feed the crowd. The disciples asked Jesus how they would do such a thing when they only had five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples gathered the crowd and had them sit on the ground. Jesus said a blessing over the bread and fish and handed it to the disciples to give out to the crowd. The people ate and were full! They even took up twelve baskets of leftover food! Five thousand men (plus women and children) ate from the five loaves of bread and two fish!  

Heart 

Jesus is so gracious and compassionate. He was mourning the loss of His friend and cousin, John the Baptist, but out of His compassion for others, He wanted to heal these people and simply be with them! He wanted people to know His Father more than anything else. He also chose to use the disciples to carry out a miracle. The disciples often found themselves struggling to believe Jesus even after they’d seen such miracles from Him. Again, Jesus wanted them to believe so He allowed them to be part of the miracle. I love how God provided for these people even when they didn’t know where the food would come from. God provides for our needs too; He wants us to trust Him with our needs!

Hands  

Do you often struggle to trust God with circumstances in your life? Do you have trouble really believing He will provide for you? Take a minute and think of what God is providing for you at this very moment - your home, your family, food, air! Let this be a reminder that He is constantly providing for you even when you don’t see it.  

Prayer: Dear God, we are so grateful! You see our needs before we do. You go before us and prepare a way for us. Thank You for meeting all our needs! Help us to depend on You and You only! We love You! Amen.