Where Jesus Gave Thanks

From Thanksgiving by Jim Cymbala

“Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.”

John 6:23

Jesus had fed more than five thousand people with the five loaves and two fish that a little boy had in the crowd; and later on, Jesus and his disciples had crossed over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The people looked for Jesus and realized he was gone, but his disciples had taken the one available boat.

We read in the Gospel of John that some boats then landed near “the place where the Lord had given thanks,” and the people took those boats to go in search of Jesus.

Wait! Are we missing something here? The account in the book of John doesn’t characterize the location where the boats landed as being “the place where Jesus performed the miracle,” or “the place where Jesus broke the bread” or “the place where he distributed the food to five thousand people.” Instead, it says, “the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.” The emphasis was on the fact that the food was multiplied when Jesus gave thanks. In other words, it was as he gave thanks that the miracle happened!

Jesus had used what the little boy had—not what he didn’t have. In the same way, he asks us today to give him what we have—our money, our time, our energy— for the furtherance of his Kingdom. Think of it: most of us would not think of giving thanks if we had only five loaves and two fish to feed such a multitude. Instead, we would complain… and we would miss out on the miracle and the blessing.

If you have a need today, why don’t you focus on what you do have—not on what you don’t have—and begin to thank him for it? As you do, you will witness the miracle of provision, not only for your own needs but also for the needs of those around you.

‬After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 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?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

‭‭John‬ ‭6:1‭-‬11

‬On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

‭‭John‬ ‭6:22‭-‬24