Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
When you think about it, you marvel: whenever Jesus worked a miracle to give people food or drink, He always needed the willing cooperation of some human beings. At the wedding in Cana of Galilee, He needed the help of the servants to go get the wine jars and fill them with water. Then He chose not to wave His hand and suddenly fill all the guests' glasses with supernatural wine. Instead, working behind the scenes with the servants, He gave the party wine.
In the two miracles of feeding the thousands, it's interesting that in each instance He waited for the cooperation of the disciples before He could feed the multitudes. In the case of the "four thousand men, besides women and children" (Matt. 15:32-39), when He expressed His compassion on the people being so hungry that they might collapse on their journeys home, He first asked the disciples, "How many loaves do you have?" Apparently they went off to inquire and came back, "Seven, and a few little fish." Very well, now He can do something; "He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude."
In feeding the five thousand (Mark 6:30-44; John 6:5-14), again He was dependent on the little boy's gift of his "five loaves and two fish" (obviously the lunch his mother had made for him; he was so enthralled listening to Jesus he forgot to eat it). The lesson seems clear: although Jesus could "create" bread from nothing as He created the world in the beginning, now the rules in the great controversy require that He be dependent on willing human cooperation for something to begin with!
Astounding as the truth may be, the Savior actually needs you! Perk up, lift up your head; you are important in His great plan for the world.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 1, 2005.
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