Blinded by the Obvious

​Meditation
2 Kings 4:43—But Elisha’s attendant asked, “What? Am I to set 20 loaves before 100 men?” 
“Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said, “for this is the what LORD says: ‘They will eat, and they will have some left over.’”
Matthew 14:17—“But we only have five loaves and two fish here,” they said to Him.
 

There are three stories in the Bible where the prophet Elisha and God’s Son, Jesus, feed a whole lot of people with a little bit of food. Yet, even after the disciples observed Jesus take miserly portions and feed 5,000 men, besides women and children, they stillfailed to grasp His power.  Shortly thereafter (Mat. 15:32-37), at a mountain spot near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asked them to feed 4000 men, plus women and children. Twelve men concluded there was no way to find bread for so many in such a desolate area. Jesus took their seven loaves and a few small fish and fed everyone with seven large, full baskets remaining!  

In Hebrews we read, “Now faith is the reality (assurance) of what is hoped for, the proof (conviction) of what is not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).  Too often we lose our hope because of what we have in hand.  We see the loaf and forget who created wheat. God asks us to move and we calculate the cost based on what is already in our bank account instead of trusting Him for what is not there.  A boss is cruel and his meanness blinds us to God’s kindness.  So we do without with what we have and hold on when we should let go. What we have gets in the way of what we need.  I believe the greatest threat to faith is the obvious.  

Peter left the boat when his eyes were on Jesus.  When they shifted to the water, he sank.  Trusting what we are capable of doing does not develop faith.  Faith believes that God can deliver when the obvious begs to differ.  Our problem is we think we understand physics and we measure God accordingly.  God cannot be measured.  If you want to have faith, stop trusting the evident. Never say, “We only have. . .” to do so is to limit the unlimited One.  
 
Inspiration
We don’t test God’s resources until we attempt the impossible.—Joseph Aldrich in Gentle Persuasion
 
©2014 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)