Luke 9: 16-17

Then He took the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven He blessed them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

Today, on April 5th, we are already over our grocery budget for the month by $25, Can anyone relate?

My three very hungry sons who are 16, 18, and 20 need to eat. They aren’t doing anything unnatural. They are just eating when they are hungry. I wish that you could see how quickly my deep freezer and pantry empty out. It’s unreal.

As I read the passage this morning, I could relate to the disciples when they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all of these people.”

I know that I don’t have 5000 people to feed. 5 cannot even compare to what the disciples were dealing with, but I can definitely understand the feeling of it not being enough.

Yet Jesus does something here that when it comes to groceries I have never thought about doing.

“Then He took the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.”

I never thought about praying over my groceries. I’ve prayed about meals stretching when I had a host of guests over. I have always prayed a blessing over my plate that it would nourish and strengthen my body, but never have I prayed over my groceries. I feel silly that this has never crossed my mind before.

However, today, I will gather my insufficient grocery bags and look up to heaven.

“Before we take one bite, I will look to You. I will take a prayer walk through my pantry and lay holy hands over my deep freezer knowing that You are the One who multiplies. You are the One who leaves leftover fragments! You are the one who fills!

I look to You but not just with my groceries. I look to You for everything in my life that is running on empty. I look to You for everything in my life that needs multiplying. I look to You for everything in my life that feels depleted. I look to You.