Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” He replied, “You give the something to eat.”  They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish – unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.”

What makes this event amazing is that the disciples have just returned from a trip where they have been performing miraculous feats.  (vs. 3-6).  They went without provisions, totally dependent on God.  He gave them power and authority.  He provided for them.  Faced with feeding the crowd, though, they don’t know what to do.

Aren’t we like this?  God will answer a specific prayer in our lives, or provide for a specific need, and the next time there is a conflict or trial, we wonder what we will do.  Perhaps we need to keep a record: a journal of sorts.  Something that chronicles the wonderful things that God has done in our lives – answered prayers, needs provided, unexpected blessings.  Then we can look back on those times and be encouraged to trust Him to take care of whatever is happening in the present.