Mark 8:6-10 NIV
[6] He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. [7] They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. [8] The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. [9] About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, [10] he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.
The Gospels say that Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread, and then gave it to His disciples to pass out. Then He did the same with the fish. To me, it sounds like to everyone else after His prayer of Thanksgiving, nothing happened. It doesn’t sound like the bread multiplied then. It sounds like he broke it in half, gave it to the disciples, and they then distributed in obedience. Now, I could be wrong, but that’s how it sounds to me.
It doesn’t sound like the miracle took place before they started passing it out, but because they were obedient to Christ they did as He commanded. It wasn’t necessarily about their faith, but about their obedience. We can see this when He tells them to cast their nets on the other side. They didn’t believe it would do anything, but they were obedient anyways.
Our faith doesn’t have to be super strong to see miracles. It just has to be tied to obedience. Most of us will never see a miracle because of disobedience. Whether it’s disobedience of not going or doing a specific action because we don’t fully understand the why in that moment or because we don’t do the basic requirements of loving God.
When we walk in obedience, whether we realize it or not, we are walking in faith. Obedience is faith in action. We may not see it in that very moment, just like the disciples didn’t see it in the moment Jesus broke the bread, but if we are obedient, we will see it.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Distribute The Bread.