As children we were fascinated by the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Like a circus audience trying to spot the mechanics behind a woman seemingly being sawn in half, we tried to spot the mechanics of Jesus’ miracles. As we grow in faith and maturity, we realise that the mechanics of Jesus’ miracles are not in question, more important is the lesson they aim to highlight.

The feeding of the five thousand is a lesson in trust and faith. If we hunger for what is right, Jesus tells us that God will be our nourishment. God will provide what we need. This perhaps is hard to believe, especially when we have prayed hard and not had our prayer granted. If God promises to provide, why does he leave many of our prayers unanswered? We are well used to the reply to this question of course.” If our prayers weren’t answered,” we are told, “then it means God knows a   better way for us.” Whilst this answer might feel a little   frustrating, the truth remains that when we look back at life, we realise what a mercy it was that some of our prayers were not answered. We think we know what is best for us, but we can only make our prayers from our own insular and human agenda and not from God’s universal perspective.

God can often provide little miracles in our day-to-day lives that we tend not to appreciate, because they are not necessarily what we have prayed for. Start to notice how God provides in ways we wouldn’t expect. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own    insight. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3: 5-6)