Food in The Wilderness.

Photo by:  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Eugenio_Hansen,_OFS

Then they (Israel) spoke against God; They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? "Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?"  Psalm 78:19,20

for they did not believe in God

or trust in his deliverance.

Yet he gave a command to the skies above

and opened the doors of the heavens;

he rained down manna for the people to eat,

he gave them the grain of heaven.

Human beings ate the bread of angels;

he sent them all the food they could eat.  Psalm 78:22-25

Although God had worked so many miracles for Israel, each time they were in need of something they did not trust God. As crazy as it sounds to humans, yes, God can furnish a table of food in the wilderness.

Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?"  He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.
 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”  John 6

Jesus answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take more than half a year's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?" Mark 6:37

This took place at the feeding of the five thousand. The disciples had just returned from their missionary journey where they had healed the sick and cast out demons. (Mark 6). Jesus tested them on their faith. Would they say to Jesus, "We know you can provide bread." No, they only saw the impossibility of his request.

Feeding of the 4,000.

And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way."

The disciples said to Him, "Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?"

Even though they had seen Jesus feed 5,000 people earlier, they still lacked insight and faith that they could do anything, even with Jesus standing right there in front of them.

When I read this I thought about myself. Do I believe God can put a feast into my wilderness? Do I think my problems are insurmountable? Even though he has helped me in the past do I forget what he has done? 

Whatever your wilderness is, God can do something. It may not be exactly what we want, but he can do something wonderful for us in our dry, empty wilderness. The best thing he does is hold our hand and walk through the wilderness with us. We are never alone.

"I was so foolish and ignorant--I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:22-26