Lenten Devotional Day 23 - Mark 6: 30-46 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he 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?” “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. ____________________________________________ This miracle is recorded in all four gospels. As the disciples returned from teaching and healing as Jesus directed, the crowds were constantly on top of them. Jesus’ reputation was spreading, and everyone wanted to hear him speak or see him do a miracle. People were coming from far away bringing those who needed healing, or those who were infected with an ‘unclean spirit.’ Jesus knew that he and the disciples needed time alone, so they set out for a solitary place – but the crowds anticipated their destination, and were waiting for them when they arrived. Jesus was filled with compassion – the people were lost and looking for hope – for truth – for God. Jesus began teaching and kept talking until late in the day. Jesus disciples urged him to stop talking so the crowds could leave and find food – but Jesus said, ‘why don’t you feed them?’ You can almost see the twinkle in Jesus’ eye as he makes this seemingly outlandish suggestion. We all know what happened next – one boy’s ‘sack lunch’ was blessed by Jesus and ended up feeding the thousands of people there – there were even 12 baskets of scraps on the ground once everyone ate. No matter how much Jesus wanted to keep his ‘signs and wonders’ a secret, there was no chance of this being kept quiet. The people were certain they had found the Messiah. But what did they expect the Messiah to be and do? Do we ever expect Jesus to fit our mold of who he should be? Or do we let him shape us?
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 23:27:35 +0000
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