“Since they had nothing to eat Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for these people’ they have already been with Me three days and have had nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long way.” (Mark 8:1-3 NIV)
This is the second impromptu feeding of thousands. In this picnic, we can make some interesting observations about presence and provision.
Jesus knows our human limitations. The crowd of four thousand had been with Him three days. This wasn’t an after-church social that went a little long like the first loaves and fishes miracle. (Mark 6:34-43 NIV) This was a congregation more interested in spiritual food than physical food. They’d been with Jesus for a long weekend; it’s an old school pentecostal revival without the tent! Services were wrapping up and no one appeared to be complaining but Jesus realized the impending physical needs of His people. They couldn’t return home without any real sustenance in their system, they wouldn’t survive the journey.
Jesus is moved by compassion. Over and over again in the gospels, we are reminded that Jesus’ has a huge heart and it constantly moved Him to action. He sees people, He patiently looks beyond what they are saying and doing and listens for their heart cry. Then He responds to that. This crowd doesn’t appear to be complaining. These Christ-followers had voluntarily gathered and remained in a remote place for a long time. Jesus, well-aware of the human systems that He helped design, knew what would happen if hungry people began hiking home. He met their need before they stated it.
Jesus knows where we are from and where we are going. This is the great thing about His sovereignty. In a glance, Jesus knows our backstory and our potential. There are very few people on the planet who fully know us: perhaps our parents – with us from birth, maybe a lifelong friend from grade school, or a spouse of multiple decades. But even still, there are gaps. There are experiences, insights, questions too intimate to share. Jesus knows all of this AND the things to come. He’s factored our story (past, present and future) into His provision.
Jesus supplies all our needs. Turns out remote places are ripe for miracles. Jesus took little and made it much. Everyone went home satisfied. The supernatural feeding was only the icing on the cake: full souls plus full tummies make for an ideal spiritual retreat. We realize that that crowd had followed after Jesus wholeheartedly, without concern for comfort, provision or public opinion. And in the midst of their total abandonment to Christ; they found all they required.
“If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)
Lord, too often our concerns of provision and protection keep us from following You into remote places. Thank You for this documented miracle, reminding us of the resources that are only found in You. We are sure You know our limitations. You are moved by compassion. We are glad to be fully known (past, present and future) by Your holy heart. We are certain You will supply all of our needs according to Your riches and glory as we wholeheartedly search after You. Give us the guts to go wherever You go and stay as long as You stay. Amen.