A Miracle on a Billboard!

Well, there it is! I may not have been able to see that miracle myself, but I've read the multiple Gospel accounts of it, and I've painted it. Now we declare it!

As you can see, the billboard with its elongated shape allowed only for a section from the original painting. The billboard section includes Jesus with the doves, along with other disciples handing out food, and some birds and fish flying through the air.

My focus the entire time I worked on this painting was to give a sense of great joy and celebration as I retold the event in images. As the story goes, the disciples had come to Jesus telling Him to send the people home because it was late and they had nothing to eat. (Luke 9:12)

Jesus said, "You give them something to eat!" (9:13)

They answered, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish-unless we go and buy food for all this crowd."

Verse 14 states that there were about five thousand men there, so their families would have been in addition to the men, but the disciples had only 5 loaves of bread and two fish! How on earth would the crowd be fed?

But Jesus took what they had, the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people, who all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. (9:16-17)

Jesus never hinted that there wasn't enough (it was obvious of course), but first He had all the people sit down in groups getting ready to eat. Ready to eat what wasn't clear at all to the disciples, but they had the people sit down as instructed.

Then He gave His Father thanks for the bit He did have, and used the lack of food for an opportunity for God to display His glory. Not only did the people have enough to eat, but the amount left over was exactly one basket for each disciple!

How I love this story! I know I am only God's representative here. Whatever I have or don't have is by His design. My lack would then be by His design, and any abundance would also be by His design.

The most important point about this story is that Jesus used this event to declare the glory of God, and that He cares for us, and our needs. Nothing was overlooked. Every need was fulfilled, and to such a degree that God was glorified in the breathtaking sovereignty of the leftovers!

And now, high above a road on Adams Street in Peoria, the miracle is proclaimed once again, this time on a billboard. Our God is a God of miracles, who cares about every aspect of our lives, and invites us to come to Him with our requests. We can give Him thanks in advance because we know He always hears us, and gives us the best He has.

Even if He saves the best for last, for the very end of the day when hope is long gone, even then, we can expect nothing less than His perfect best, which may just turn out to be a miracle.

I hope if you are in Peoria that you will be able to see the billboard! The Feeding of the 5000 painting is also available in canvas prints in various sizes:

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