Our devotional thought and verse for today is brought to us by Joshua Jones one of our Awaken Kids leaders who has a huge heart for outreach and reaching the lost and hopeless. All of us at one point or another have asked God for more boldness as we approach those that we desire to share the message of the gospel. Often times we are left feeling inadequate, if you can relate then we hope you are encouraged by today’s blog entry.

“And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ And they said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’ He said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭14-20‬ NKJV)

When the disciples saw the multitude they were overwhelmed, they thought the need was too great. They wanted to send them away but Jesus replied, you give them something to eat. They said we don’t have enough, but they brought what they had and Jesus multiplied what they had. Jesus used this moment as the perfect opportunity to show Himself more than able to equip them to build His kingdom.

A key part of this verse is when Jesus had His disciples distribute the goods out to the crowds.

This was symbolic. (Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. – John‬ ‭6‬:‭35‬ NKJV) Jesus is the bread of life. God was showing us that when we go to share Jesus we may feel as though we do not have enough. The truth is we don’t have the ability, but Christ in us gives us the ability. Jesus said I am with you always even to the end of the age. He is with us today as He was with them then. He will provide all our needs. He will provide the ability we need to build God’s kingdom. (Joshua Jones)

We are praying for you as you continue this journey of prayer and fasting! (JZ)