“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” John 6.5-7
I always enjoy how Jesus approaches faith among his disciples. He would do the same for us today!
Jesus saw the large crowd coming towards him. He knew what he was going to do but wanted to teach Philip and the other disciples a good faith-lesson. He who had performed miracles before this time (healing people and turning water in to wine just to name a few) was going to do something else spectacular.
And so Jesus says, “Philip — Where shall we buy bread for all these people to eat?” And Philip takes the bate! In hindsight I’m sure he thought, “How could I have been so blind! I was in the presence of God and doubted him from the very start.” But he responds initially out of doubt rather than faith. His mind was set on earthly things and not the things of heaven. He forgot he was in the Presence of the One who created something out of nothing- the very Son of God.
So Philip says, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite.” Point proven. Reality sets in. Nothing now but a miracle. There was no hidden storehouse of bread. No grocery store just down the hill. There was nothing on hand to feed these people. Perhaps Jesus asked Philip this question not just to put his faith to the test but so that we the readers would forever know — God brought something out of nothing.
Isn’t this what God still does for us? He tests our faith. A marriage is wrecked and we think there is no way out. A job has ended and we can’t see what is coming next. Children are running from God and we fail to believe God could ever turn them back. But this is what God does. He does the impossible, he works miracles, he exists to bring glory to himself by doing what humanity can’t even think or imagine.
What is in your life that you need God do to the impossible? Why don’t you believe? Where is your faith? Why not trust the One who created you out of the dust to deliver you? He can and will do it.
Do you believe?
“O Lord God, you are good. I thank you for loving me and for allowing me to walk in faith. Thank you that my life matters. My decisions matter. The details of what I do matters because you live inside of me. You died so I might not have to! Come now, Lord Jesus, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit. Help me live by your Word today and witness to a world deep in sin. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen
