Read: John 6:1-15
Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” (v. 5)
Would you be prepared to answer Jesus’s question to Philip? John tells us why Jesus asked Philip: “He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do” (v. 6). Meaning, Jesus was not asking Philip because Jesus needed help problem solving. Jesus knows everything! Jesus asked Philip in order to teach Philip about faith. “Philip answered him: ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.’” (v. 7)
Philip had done his math, and according to him, even with a huge sum of money, there would not be enough to buy each one in the crowd just a small loaf of bread. Two hundred denarii back then was equal to eight months worth of work. How should Philip have answered? He could have said: “Lord, we cannot do anything, but you alone, just as you turned water into wine, just as you healed the paralytic, you alone, if you want, can provide food for all these people. You can—you have the power to do this. Lord, please, provide for and feed these people!”
So, by asking him indirectly, Jesus urged Philip to have faith in him. It is these overwhelming situations that highlight our powerlessness, that can serve to fix our eyes on our Lord in faith.
As you pray, trust God and ask him to provide for your needs.
About the Author
Genci Hoxha
Genci Hoxha is one of the leaders at a local church in Tirana where he is also involved in the ministry of teaching and preaching the Word. For 19 years, he served full-time with CRU in Albania. Three years ago, Genci Hoxha published his first poetry book entitled “Pasqyra e Qiellit” (English: The Sky’s Reflection).
These devotionals were first published in Fjalet e Shpreses, Words of Hope’s Albanian devotional. Learn more about Words of Hope Albania, and our work in training and equipping local Christian leaders to write and share the Word of God.
