Leftovers?

A meditation on the feeding of the 5000
Matt.14; Mark 6; Luke 9; John 6.
by David McFarland.

I wonder? Were they not leftovers?

It was late in the day and the little sack of bread and fish was no longer an appetising lunch. The lad had followed the crowd all day; this was an exciting adventure – so exciting that he didn’t take time to eat; he just nibbled some of the fish. What was not eaten was warm and crushed and stale. Boys don’t take too much care of picnic bags.

Around him sat a large crowd of hungry people. Little children cried; old people felt faint; but there was no food anywhere nearby. He had so little left but how do you begin to share your meagre picnic with so many? So he squeezed the bag closer to his side and said nothing - until the friendly face of Andrew the fisherman appeared. “Hi Andrew!” he shouted. “Oh, its young Timeaus. Look at you; how you’ve grown since I last saw you! Sorry, I can’t stop. I’m looking to see if anyone has any food”. “Here, I have!” said the lad. “This is all that’s left – do you want it?” “Jesus does – come with me, young man”.

And so the leftovers were given to Jesus – and look what He made out of them. He created a feast that was more than a hungry multitude could finish.

He still takes leftovers and blesses multitudes. In His hands, what seems so feeble and unattractive becomes the very thing that is used to fill the hungry souls.

“Lord, my life is so much like that lunch. It is just leftovers. The best years are gone. Weakness has left me crushed and unattractive, ready for throwing away. But if You want to use me to glorify Your Name among the multitudes, then here am I; bless me, break me, send me.”

“out of weakness were made strong”
“God chooses the weak things of this world”