Devotions from The Dock - Day 1: Loaves and Fishes Boy

As I mentioned in my previous post, while we were at Florida Family CFO recently, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend each morning with the youth of the camp. Every morning at 7:30 we would meet on the dock that reached into Lake Yale to discuss The Word and share Communion together. (We would also watch – and keep an eye on – the occasional alligator that would float by, as well as shoo away the water birds that were overly interested in our communion bread!) I’ve done this for three years now, and each year it stands out as the highlight of my week. I am continually impressed with these young people and it gives me great confidence in the future.

Every year we have a theme of sorts on which our devotions are based. This year, it was less than 12 hours before our first gathering that the Holy Spirit showed me what we were to study this year. It was Sunday evening and John Kimer, the main Youth Speaker this year, was sharing briefly about what God had put on his heart to speak during the week. He mentioned stories. He was going to tell stories – and through those stories share insights into our individual walks with The Lord. Almost immediately, I knew what we were going to do! Our morning devotions would look at stories, as well… Specifically, stories that included little known characters in the Bible. Characters that, while we may not be able to name them, had a huge impact on one story especially, but more importantly, HIS-story.

Each of the five characters we discussed will be featured in a post over the next several weeks. I will attempt to share these stories as similarly as I did then, including background, context and what we can (and should) learn from them. There were some very insightful thoughts from the youth, as there always are, and those thoughts will be woven in.

Now, onto our first character, whom we came to refer to use the “Loaves and Fishes Boy”. (See John6:1-15 NIV) There are only a handful of accounts from Jesus’ life, miracles or otherwise, that are recorded in all four of the Gospels. One of them is the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. But first, a little context. Matthew’s account tells us that right before this miracle took place, Jesus had learned of his cousin John the Baptist’s beheading, “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” (Matt 14:13a NIV) As always, though, the crowds followed Him. Jesus then put aside His own needs and desires as He proceeded to, “Ha(ve) compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matt 14:14b NIV).

Let me just pause here for a moment… Aren’t you glad that this was – and is – Jesus’s nature? To put our needs before His? To, first and foremost, be obedient to His Father’s will? (“Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matt. 26:39)) Where would we be today if this was not His modus operandi?

So, here Jesus is, originally wanting some time alone to grieve the loss of His relative, but instead finds himself teaching and healing in front a group of 5,000 men. And, if we safely assume women and children were also present, that number could have easily been closer to 15,000. As it starts to get late, the disciples tell Jesus that he should tell everyone to go home. Instead, Jesus decides that they should feed them. At first, the disciples argue that there is no way to buy that much food, then the five loaves and two small fish show up. Enter “Loaves and Fishes Boy”! Now, this boy is such a small, bit character in this story that only one of the four accounts even acknowledge him! John’s is the only gospel that mentions the boy was the one that possessed the bread and fish in the first place. The other three gospels leave that “minor” detail out.

Now, what do you think the boy’s reaction was to the Disciples’ “confiscating” his food? Where do you think those loaves and fishes were supposed to end up? Do you think he had to explain to his parents later that evening what happened? Do you think he knew that he would be remembered 20 centuries later for his act of obedience in sharing his small amount of food? How surprised do you think he was when he ended up with 12 baskets of leftovers, which was much more than what he started with?

A couple of thoughts we came away with at the end of our discussion that morning…

We may have our plan (going off by ourselves to grieve; bringing home dinner; doing what “we want”), but God will sometimes interrupt our plans for something else He has in mind.

When He does so, we need to listen and be obedient. God knows what’s best for us – and for others – period. All the time. Every time. When we hear His voice… when we hear His promptings… We need to heed them. We need to heed Him. (After all, this is what living unfiltered for God is all about.)

We may play a seemingly small part in the story, but that doesn’t mean we are insignificant. We are significant merely by the fact that God created each of us uniquely and with a purpose. We may not be famous… Our names may not be well-known… We may not be the ones people think about when telling a story about something they experienced, but God knows who you are. And He knows how pivotal you were – and are – to HIS-story as it continues to unfold.

My prayer is that this story – and the ones to come – will provide insight not only into His Word, but into your own story. And into your heart, spirit and soul, as well.

Thank you for reading and may God Bless You mightily!

Photo Credit: Rachel Gage