“Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.” John 6:11
Can you imagine the scene? There they were, gathered along a Galilean hillside as far as the eye could see. So many, in fact, that just the men alone numbered about 5,000. When you add in the women and children, some believe it could have been upwards of twenty thousand people. All those folks coming out to hear the words of Jesus. Why? Because they were hungry.
Yes, we know how the story goes, and, in the story, hunger crept upon them because the crowd stayed so long. But I’m not talking about that kind of hunger. I’m talking about the kind of hunger only God Himself can fill. This kind of hunger can only be filled with His presence. Jesus, offering words of life to that mass of humanity, demonstrated that not only was He concerned about their spiritual hunger, but He, as the “Good Shepherd,” cared for their physical hunger as well. This is where Jesus would need that supernatural power. The power He had experienced as He followed the Spirit’s lead, empowering Him to do supernatural works that would lead to the Father’s glory.
Aside from the power of the Holy Spirit, there was another key that Jesus possessed which helped Him flow in the power of the supernatural. And that was the power that comes through thanksgiving. Jesus took the meager offering of five loaves and two fish, lifted them up before the Father, and gave thanks just as He had and would do many times over.
Today, you and I may not feed a multitude with so little, but we can be as full of thanksgiving as we please. Truth is, the ability to be full of thankfulness is completely up to us. In spite of setbacks, circumstances, loss, or heartache that may come our way, we can choose to have hearts full of thankfulness. Just look at the word “thank-full-ness,” the state of being completely filled with thanksgiving.
Regardless of where we may find ourselves today, in a great place or challenging place, let’s choose to not be full of worry, despair or fear, but instead let us eat our fill on the goodness of God until we become so full of thanks.