Every major college football program in the country has a whole department dedicated to nutrition. Nutrition is key in developing a high level athlete and universities are investing millions of dollars into this process. Everyday an athlete needs fuel to sustain and recover from a hectic schedule. Athletes are having specific plans created that intentionally meet their individual needs. One basic part of any athlete’s plan is the right recovery mix after a hard workout. They love a tasty Muscle Milk or Protein Shake after a grueling training session. It is said that a recovery shake should contain a 2:1 mixture of carbohydrates to protein; because this stimulates muscle repair, re-energizes the body, and creates long-term training adaptation. For example a typical protein shake that contains 30 grams of protein would have 60 grams of carbohydrates. So why am I telling you this? I was recently reading the miracle story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 families after a day long sermon. The fact that he used 5 loaves and 2 fish peaked my interest in a new way. For some reason, I wanted to know the nutritional value of what the boy gave the disciples that day. So I decided to do some research, and discovered that the fish were probably a tilapia that averaged 3 pounds. The bread was more than likely made of wheat or barley. When I looked up the nutritional value of each… this is what I discovered….

Loaf of Wheat Bread has 288 grams of Carbohydrates x 5 Loaves = 1440 Grams of Carbohydrates

3 Pound Tilapia has 360 grams of Protein x 2 Fish = 720 Grams of Protein

1440/720 = 2:1 Ratio….. The Perfect Recovery Shake

I was astonished at the perfection of these numbers and could only marvel in God’s sovereignty. That in this moment, he knew and gave the exact formula the people needed to recover from a long day. The crowd had traveled to listen to Jesus, it was late, they were tired, and so very hungry. They had every right to seek food and rest elsewhere. But Jesus said “They do not need to go away.” When the disciples said “But we only have 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish….” He said “Bring them here to me.”… And when the night was over… “They all ate and were satisfied.” God knows the value of nutrition…. Not just for our body; but for our mind, soul, and spirit. Like a high level athlete, we also need a daily process of fueling and recovering. He shows us his understanding in his word:

1. They do not need to go away….. God knows that we are better off closer to him. The world is going to seem very appetizing that away from him; it can fill the voids in our life. We do not have to fill our voids with the wrong things. As appetizing as the world can seem; we eventually discover that it is one big false advertisement. Jesus knows the challenges we face, and when we get close… He wants us to stay close. The crowd had already listened to Jesus that day… That in itself is incredible, and could seem enough… But by staying close, God blessed them with a miracle…. We do not need to go away before the miracle.
2. Bring them here to me…. God already knows he has all you need. We often think that what we have in life is not enough. He knew that 5 loaves and 2 fish were perfect in that moment. He just needed them in his hands to multiple them. He does not care about how much we have, he just wants what you have in his hands. Even if all we have is problems…. He also wants them in his hands… 5 loaves and 2 fish were not enough that day either…. Until they were in his hands… God unconditionally gives us his strength, peace, and guidance. Whatever you have is enough… and in his hands… he can multiple it.
3. They all ate and were satisfied… The closer I am to God, the more I am satisfied. I am at my best when I consistently nourish myself with his word, prayer, and people. In success, failure, or struggle… I still experience the most peace, value, and purpose when I choose to receive from him. The further I am away from God… I experience the opposite…. I am at my worst when I choose to consistently fuel myself with what the world has to offer. The crowd that day was handed bread, but they still had to choose to eat it. You too are offered his perfect ratio everyday…. We need a 2:1 ratio of him to us, instead of the world to him.

Just like a great athlete training for the big game…. Experts have designed the perfect plan to optimize an athlete’s potential. The battle is not the event, but the daily drive it takes to execute the plan. God is the expert in knowing our struggle, and how we specifically need to be fueled each day. We are training for the game of life, and the everyday battle of “Fighting the Good Fight.” God uniquely designed us for his purposes, and he wants the best version of ourselves. Our best will optimize his purposes for us on this earth, and our best example will draw more people to him. We are life competitors, and he has a specific race for each of us to run. Stay close to him, bring him what you have, and know that when you do not have anything left to give…. He has the Perfect Recovery Shake waiting for you!

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7