Matthew 15:29-39

²⁹ Jesus left there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up a mountain and sat down there.

³⁰ And large crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they laid them at his feet, and he healed them,

³¹ so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

³² Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am reluctant to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”

³³ And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a deserted place to feed so large a crowd?”

³⁴ And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

³⁵ And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground,

³⁶ he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

³⁷ And they all ate and were full. And they took up seven baskets full of the scraps left over.

³⁸ Those who ate were four thousand men, not including the women and children.

³⁹ And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

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reruns

This was not a retelling of the story of the feeding that is recorded in the previous chapter, but it is very similar. Matthew’s inclusion of the second miraculous feeding shows that he was careful to provide all the history necessary for his readers to know. He would not leave this story out, even if it might seem redundant.

This is a reminder from our Savior that he is willing to display his power in our lives again, in the same way that he has done before. He does not mind reruns. He wants to show us that he is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

LORD, forgive us for doubting your faithfulness to us. Give us the courage to ask, so that you may be glorified by our receiving from your hand – again.