And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. — Matthew 14:20
For several years, my wife and I tried to have children. On several occasions, she would find out that she was pregnant, but something would happen. About the time that she would go in for the ultrasound, we would find that the baby’s heartbeat was already gone. One of the last times that we tried, we were able to hear the heartbeat. Due to the issues we had, they wanted us to come back within a couple of weeks. Again, the baby’s heartbeat was gone.
Those were some of the most difficult days in our marriage. Each of us struggled from a different aspect, not understanding the why behind our inability to have a child. All we had experienced was the heartache, challenge, and passing of multiple children.
While that story probably seems odd given the scripture verse shared, you must understand the situation. The disciples had just learned of the martyrdom of John the Baptist. They had taken the body of John, buried him, and came to tell Jesus. I can only imagine the thoughts and emotions they were experiencing. That’s when Jesus stepped in and performed the miracle of feeding the thousands.
We experienced the same thing in our situation. Halfway around the world, God had a little boy in mind. He was born in China and abandoned in an orphanage. But he was exactly what our family needed, just like this miracle was exactly what the disciples needed.
You may be facing the most challenging and difficult days of your life right now. Maybe it’s a struggle to understand what God is doing. But don’t give up faith. Right when you need it most, that’s when God will step in and do what you least expected.
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