Have you ever heard of a need & reacted with defense because you don’t have the means to meet it? Like no one has asked you to meet the need but your response upon hearing it is frustration that you can’t?
Mark 8 captures a moment like this. Jesus preaches for 3 days in the wilderness & then calls his disciples together, He tells them how sorry he feels for the 4,000 who have nothing to eat.
He doesn’t ask a question. He simply states how He feels about the need before them.
The disciples, however, reply with this, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?“
Depending on which word you emphasize, that simple question carries a lot of meaning.
If you said “HOW” loud & long, it implies they’ve no idea how the need could be met. What’s astounding is that the disciples had JUST witnessed Jesus feed 5,000 with only 5 loaves & 2 fish! How quickly they forget that “how” is not an issue when Jesus is in the equation!
If you emphasize “WE”, it implies they felt responsible. At this point Jesus didn’t ask ANYTHING of them. He simply shared His compassion about the need before them.
If you emphasize “ENOUGH” it recognizes lack-another indicator of their forgetfulness!
It’s SO easy to read these stories with judgement because we already know the outcome!
But if we’re honest, we can admit a time, maybe even now with rumors of war, that the pending doom of the day can seem so insurmountable that it eclipses what God has formerly done?
After the disciples make their reply to Jesus, He asks them one simple question:
How much bread do you have?
They had 7 loaves - MORE food & 1,000 LESS people than the last time He miraculously fed the 5,000!
Sometimes it’s in the middle of difficulty that we most easily forget the faithfulness of our Father! We need not worry how nor feel pressure to be the answer. We simply need offer what we have & let Jesus do the rest.
This post is my offering today. The rumors of war, doom & gloom cannot erase what God has formerly done nor limit what He can do. We serve a miracle working God Who can be trusted! Simply offer what you have & watch in awe as He does what only He can miraculously do!
LEVITICUS 16:29-18:30
MARK 7:24-8:10
PSALM 41:1-13
PROVERBS 10:15-16
Comments