COVID-19 Novel Encouragement Sample

Five Loaves and Two Fishes is Enough

“But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, 'This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.' But He answered and said to them, 'You give them something to eat.' And they said to Him, 'Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?' But He said to them, 'How many loaves do you have? Go and see.'” Mark 6:33-38 (NKJV)

The disciples are stuck in a crisis, a very humiliating moment and also an impossible situation. Their Teacher has tasked them to feed 5,000 very hungry grown-up males (if you add up the ladies and children all together, perhaps consider 20,000 people in all). What options do the disciples have?

They are stuck in a deserted place which means there are hardly any shops, markets, or restaurants available, nor homes in the vicinity that can perhaps help to meet parts of the pressing need. Obviously, there are no food delivery services available. There is no budget for this, and there has been no prior planning and discussion for these situations. And there is no time to lose - the growling stomachs of 20,000 hungry folks need no further elaboration. This is a total embarrassment and still, Rabbi Jesus wouldn't compromise and do the obvious of just sending the people away. Doesn't He understand risk management and that this could accelerate to a potential PR crisis that would ruin our reputation and creditability? We will definitely lose people, influence and future funding. And we, the staff team of Jesus, are understaffed, underqualified, undertrained, and underprepared to handle this. Who chose this place in the first place?

During this season of COVID-19, I often find myself reeling in a whirlpool of conflicting situations and contrasting emotions: angry, judgmental, haughty, fearful, inadequate, worried, lost, dejected, disillusion & defeated. Situations beyond my control or where I can only do so much, but even my best is just not enough by itself. Is this going to be the last straw that breaks the camel's back? Am I going to just settle for this or is there another way out? A higher way and a better way?

Now, consider God. Contemplate His Words.

“Jesus ... was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34 (Emphasis added)

As I set my sight outside of God, into the pressing deadlines, crushing tasks, and overwhelming people at hand, it's easy to lose sight of God. That is why then I felt more of a sinner than a saint, more of a wandering sheep than a sheep securely held in the Shepherd's hand, but He has never lost sight of you and me. He was and is moved with compassion for us just because at these moments, we are like sheep not having a shepherd, doing it our own way still and not leaning on Him.

“When Jesus looked out and saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, 'Where can we buy bread to feed these people?' He said this to stretch Philip's faith. He already knew what he was going to do. Philip answered, 'Two hundred silver pieces wouldn’t be enough to buy bread for each person to get a piece.'
One of the disciples - it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter - said, 'There's a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.' Jesus said, 'Make the people sit down.' There was a nice carpet of green grass in this place. They sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as they wanted. When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted.' They went to work and filled twelve large baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves.” John 6:5-13 (MSG)

Perhaps Our Teacher is also stretching our faith because He is always in control and He is always at work. Imagine the look of the disciples' faces when they took the little boy's lunchbox and brought it to Jesus. All they could gather and find was merely these five loaves and two fish. Because they did not know this: what is little in your hands becomes mighty when you put it in the Master's hand. And the Master multiplied it and fed all of them in grand buffet style. There was even an abundance of leftovers. This visual lesson of faith, that entrusting Jesus with all we have proved faithful and fruitful, was a lesson that the disciples would never forget. And yes, your Five Loaves and Two Fishes is enough for God to use.

What about you? How are you coping? What is God showing you during this season? Will you humbly surrender all to Him and ask Him to ...

1. Search me
2. Break me
3. Stretch me
4. Lead me
5. Use me

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, You know it all, You know me inside out and outside in. There is nothing that You do not know of me. I beg You to take all of me, in exchange for all of You; all that I am, all that I have, all that I do, use it for Your Glory. Yes, even my fears, folly and failures, let it be all be used for Your Glory. Let Your Name be so high and lifted up throughout China and all the Nations, all shall come and worship Your Name only. Amen.

By Pastor Yan Lijie, BICF IMS, Beijing