The Question of Provision
Matthew 15:33, “And the disciples said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in a desolate place to satisfy such a great multitude?”
The teeming masses around Jesus had hung on His words for several days. The sick found healing, the crippled found restoration, the lame gained the ability to walk, and the blind recovered their eyesight. Overcome with exuberance, the crowd thought nothing of food. Finally, Jesus brought this need to the attention of His disciples. Out of compassion, Jesus wanted to provide a meal for the crowd. When the disciples saw the size of the need, they could not fathom any possible solution. That’s why they asked the question of provision. "Where would we get so many loaves?”
We might forgive the disciples if they had never found themselves in need before. However, just prior to this, in Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus had fed a crowd of over 5,000 men. When we read this passage, it seems like the answer for provision would be quite apparent—Jesus! If Jesus could feed the 5,000 surely He could feed the 4,000!
The disciples had developed a condition that I call spiritual amnesia. The disciples acted like they had never seen a need this great before. But they had. And recently. And they were in the very presence of the very one who had provided. We might fault the disciples, except we are prone to the same spiritual amnesia.
When a need of some kind arises, we find ourselves asking the same question as the disciples. Even though we have the benefit of reading the Gospels and seeing God’s hand of provision, not just in the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000 but in a myriad of ways, we still ask the same question of provision. We have promises like Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” We have examples in our own lives, however mundane, of God’s regular and consistent provision. Still we forget these things and we worry afresh how our need could be met.
Matthew 15 should settle this issue in our hearts. No matter our need, Jesus can cover it. We are always in the presence of one who can provide for us. So instead of asking the question of where and how, let’s simply bring our need to God and look to Him to provide. It sounds too simple to be the solution but ask the 4,000. They ate until they were full and still the Lord had provided more. That sounds like provision enough for me.