This morning I am reflecting on some verses from Mark's Gospel. These verses follow immediately after Jesus healed a man who was deaf and could barely speak. He was in the area of the Decapolis. Here are the final verses from Chapter 7 which set the stage for chapter 8 - Mark 7:35-37 NIV:
[35] "At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly."
[36] Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. [37] People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Here are the verses - Mark 8:1-10 NIV:
[1] "During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, [2] “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. [3] If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
[4] His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
[5] “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
[6] "He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. [7] They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. [8] The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. [9] About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, [10] he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha."
The first thing that caught my eye this morning was verse 1, about a large crowd gathering. The large crowd gathered because of occurrences of the end of chapter seven, the healing of the man who was deaf and unable to speak. I think it is clear that significant healings will draw people, and Jesus was the greatest healer they had ever heard of or seen. The response of the people was natural, they wanted to see Him and hear Him. What caught my attention was that the people were willing to travel to a remote area, AND had been with Jesus for 3 days!
I was thinking about the simple logistics of a crowd of 4 thousand people following Him. He clearly wasn't walking about, but must have been camped in particular area, and more and more people came to hear Him speak and watch Him minister. We are not told about any other healings during this particular 3 days, but one would expect that His basic ministry model was unchanged. He would proclaim the Kingdom of God and then demonstrate the Kingdom realities by healing the sick, casting our demons, etc. (See Matt 4:23-25).
Regardless or what Jesus was doing, the crowd was with him for three days and that presents many logistical problems, one of them being food. The fact that they were gathered in a remote place, made these logistical problems that much greater. How could they get enough food and water for all those people? Jesus' original statement and question to the disciples shows us that He was aware of the issues and was making sure the disciples were aware as well.
I recently heard Graham Cooke speak about the ways of the Kingdom. (For more from Graham go to http://brilliantperspectives.com) He said that we need to change the way we think, because in the Kingdom, there are no problems, just possibilities for God to demonstrate His provision, increase our faith, and prove His faithfulness (See Matt 6:25-34). In this case, Jesus was presenting the issue to the disciples, I think, to see if they understood these Kingdom principles yet.
In the section of Matthew that I point to above, Jesus says that God knows all our needs, but that we should concern ourselves with the Kingdom first, and God will the provide all we need (my paraphrase). So in this case, He seems to be asking them to look at the issue of feeding 4000 from the perspective of the Kingdom of God, and God's ability to demonstrate provision, His faithfulness and to increase people's faith. The disciples however had no idea how God would solve the issue at hand and their answer proves they hadn't shifted into Kingdom thinking yet, for they answered that it would be impossible to get enough food to them in that region. They looked at the logistical problem, not the possibility of the Kingdom solution.
In the Kingdom, with God, all things are possible for those that believe (Mark 9:23). Thus, feeding 4000 people in a remote region, is not impossible! There was a Kingdom provision available, but the disciples didn't see it yet. Jesus, rather than berate them for their lack of faith, patiently leads them to the solution, the multiplication of food. The issue wasn't really logistics, it was having enough food to feed the people, but the disciples were focused on what they perceived as the problem. They had some food, probably hardly enough to feed themselves, let alone 4000 but no way to get more. So, they had what they needed (Food) just not enough.
Do you ever feel like you have just a measure of what you need, but not enough? It may be that the Lord is allowing you to be in this position so that He can show you how His Kingdom works!
So, in the Kingdom (as demonstrated by Jesus here) when we are in need, we take what we have, give thanks to God for it and then ask Him to bless it then give it away! Now that is radical! That is so illogical! That is the absolutely wrong logical approach and one that we just wouldn't come up with on our own! Yet in the Kingdom, that is How the Lord pours out provision, demonstrates His faithfulness and grows our faith! As I was quoting in my last blog entry, God doesn't think like us, nor are our ways His ways (Iss 55:8-9). He demonstrates that reality here, and provides for 4000 people through a completely illogical step.
So this morning, I realize that sometimes as I am following God I find myself in difficult situations, wondering how I got there, and wondering where the provision I need is going to come from? I am encouraged to believe that God has brought me to that place to show me how His Kingdom works and to provide miraculously more than I can imagine, proving Himself faithful, and growing my faith in Him! Sometimes it might take a while (3 days can seem like an eternity if you are hungry) and it might be downright uncomfortable. However, if I maintain my focus, believe in God and give thanks for that which I do have, and follow His directions and guidance completely, God will provide!
This morning I am greatly encouraged that God is capable of the impossible! Even when I am in the wilderness, and hungry! I am encouraged that the Lord wants me to understand the ways of the Kingdom!
Amen Lord!
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