Nothing Here Except..

Have you ever felt like a problem was too big to handle, so you just wanted it to go away? Perhaps it was a bill that seemed impossible to pay, a responsibility that felt too heavy to bear, or a need that appeared far beyond your resources to meet.

In Matthew 14, the disciples faced exactly this kind of overwhelming situation. Picture this scene: over 5,000 men, plus women and children – likely well over 15,000 people in total – all gathered in an isolated place as the sun began to set. The crowd had been with Jesus all day, hanging on His every word, but now they were hungry. As evening approached, the disciples came to Jesus with their solution: “This is an isolated place and the hour is already late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” After all, isn’t that what we often do when faced with needs that seem far too big – we look for ways to make the problem go away?

God’s Heart: Stay Close

But notice Jesus’ response: “They do not need to go away.“

These words reveal God’s heart. When the disciples saw a need and wanted to send people away, Jesus saw the same need and wanted to keep them close. It’s a powerful picture of how God responds to our needs – not with distance, but with nearness.

Isn’t it interesting? When we face lack or difficulty, our natural instinct is often to pull away. “Let me get myself together first,” we think. “I’ll come back to God when I have more to give,” or “I’ll return to church when things are better.” Like the disciples, we often try to solve our insufficiency by creating distance.

But God’s heart is always to draw us closer, especially in our times of need. He never says, “Come back when you have more.” He never says, “Go fix this yourself first.” Instead, His invitation is always, “Stay. Remain. Draw closer.” Even in times of lack, even when resources seem scarce, His message to you today is the same: “You don’t need to go away.”

The Surprising Command

Then Jesus says something fascinating: “YOU give them something to eat!“

The disciples must have been shocked when Jesus responded, “You give them something to eat!” In that simple command lay a promise they couldn’t yet see. But isn’t that just like us? When Jesus points to a provision He has already planned, we often can’t see past our current limitations.

The Response of Lack

“We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish,” the disciples replied. Can you hear the defeat in their voice? The word “except” reveals where their focus was – not on what they had, but on what they lacked. From their human perspective, five loaves and two fish were as good as nothing when faced with thousands of hungry people.

How often do we find ourselves in our own “we have nothing except” season? Maybe yours sounds like:

• “I have nothing except this small salary”
• “I have nothing except these basic skills”
• “I have nothing except this little bit of savings”
• “I have nothing except…”

Like the disciples, we focus on the insufficiency, seeing our resources as insignificant compared to the need before us.

The Key to the Miracle

But then comes the pivotal moment. Jesus says something so simple yet profound: “Bring them here to Me.“

This is where the miracle begins. Not with abundance, but with offering what seemed insufficient. Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “Go find more food,” or “Wait until you have enough.” He worked with what they had, not what they didn’t have. The miracle didn’t happen while the bread and fish stayed in the disciples’ hands, labeled as “not enough.” It happened when they brought their “nothing except” to Jesus.

God has always worked this way:

• Moses had nothing except a staff
• David had nothing except a sling
• The widow had nothing except a jar of oil
• The disciples had nothing except five loaves and two fish

Yet in each case, when that “nothing except” was placed in God’s hands, it became more than enough.

And here’s the beautiful irony: those same disciples who couldn’t see past their limitations became the very ones distributing abundance to thousands. Their empty hands, once surrendered to Jesus, became channels of His miraculous provision for others. Jesus had promised they would give the people something to eat – and they did, not from their own resources, but from His unlimited supply.

A Lesson for Today

Whatever challenge you’re facing, remember this profound truth: God’s solution is never distance – it’s always drawing near. He doesn’t expect you to be the source of the miracle, but He invites you to be part of it. Every time we bring what we have to Him, no matter how small, we open the door to His supernatural work in our lives.

Today, you might feel like you’re in your own “nothing except” season. But remember: God doesn’t see your limitations the way you do. He’s not restricted by what you lack. He’s not asking you to bring what you don’t have – He’s asking you to bring what you do have, even if it seems insignificant in your eyes. When we trust Him with our “not enough,” it becomes His “more than enough.”

Don’t walk away. Don’t hold back. Instead, hear His gentle invitation: “Bring them here to Me.“

The choice lies before you today: Will you let your “nothing except” keep you at a distance, or will you bring it to Jesus? Will you trust that your “not enough” in His hands could become a testimony of His faithfulness?

Because this is an invitation, not an obligation. And in God’s kingdom, every invitation answered becomes a story of His provision, every small surrender becomes a testimony of His power, and every willing heart becomes a witness to His grace.