Compassionate Gift

Mark 8: In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, ² “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”

⁴ Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

⁵ He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven.”

⁶ So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. ⁷ They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. ⁸ So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. ⁹ Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, ¹⁰ immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

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Holes in jeans were becoming a fashion statement for most, but not for me. I was wearing holey jeans because I could not afford anything else. As I went to a meeting a friend of mine asked me a strange question. “What size shoe do you wear?” I told him and the next week he gave me a pair of his shoes.

• There have been many people who have shown me compassion.
• There have been many people who have poured mercy on me.
• There have been many people who have given me so much that I cannot return the favor.

What struck me the most about this passage is the fact that JESUS had been with the group for three days. HE healed them and taught them and prayed for them the entire time, meanwhile HE probably did not receive anything from the crowd. HE then turns around and shows HIS concern over their travel home.

• JESUS is thoroughly concerned about me.
• JESUS wants to feed me and watch over me.
• JESUS does so much for me without asking to be thanked.

While I cannot find someone saying “Thank YOU” to JESUS when they were miraculously fed, I can see it in their actions. They told other people about JESUS and HIS fame spread throughout the land. HIS compassion became contagious. HE wants me to learn from HIS heart.

• Do you have an opportunity to be compassionate to someone?
• Will you think of others today and give them your prayers?
• Will you thank GOD for what HE has done for you today?

Hardened Away

Mark 6: ⁴⁵ Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. ⁴⁶ And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ⁴⁹ And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰ for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” ⁵¹ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵² For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

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“Do you want to go over your friend’s house?” was the question. “No, he’s not my friend!”  pouted back. I cannot remember what had happened but all I know is he was no longer my friend. I think it was because he wouldn’t share his toy with me. When I saw other kids playing, I had to change my heart and visit.

• Sometimes I get mad at people.
• Sometimes I cannot hear good advice because I am angry.
• Sometimes I stick to principles when I should be listening to advice.

The disciples desired something different from JESUS. They may have possibly wanted HIM to be a king just like everyone else. While they were able to perform some miracles, they were still confused about who and what JESUS was and is.

Their hearts were hardened to the truth of JESUS being GOD and they could not understand HIS ability to walk on water or for them to feed 5000 or more people with nothing like HE did.

• JESUS says to me “Be of good cheer” when the winds of life blow my way.
• JESUS says to me “Do not be afraid” when challenges come against me.
• JESUS says to me “Believe” when things seem impossible.

Belief that GOD will handle everything in the right time and the right way is hard to do, so hard that my heart may be affected and become hardened to HIS way.  I may rely on “my” abilities instead of believing GOD understands the situation and loves me beyond measure. “My” power comes from HIS power when I believe.

• Are you going through something?
• Are the storms of life challenging your abilities right now?
• Can you stop trying to do things under your own power and seek GOD to provide HIS power?

Powerful Instructions

Mark 6: ³⁵ When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. ³⁶ Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”

³⁷ But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

³⁸ But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹ Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. ⁴¹ And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. ⁴² So they all ate and were filled. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. ⁴⁴ Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

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“Run the division” were the words spoken to me that were absolutely outrageous. I hadn’t run anything large and the request, while exciting, quickly became overwhelming. How am “I” supposed to do that? I laid awake thinking.

• Sometimes I think “I” have to do everything under “my” power.
• Sometimes the task placed in front of me seems huge.
• Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the unknown.

“You give them something to eat” were JESUS’ words. HE expected HIS disciples, who had just performed all sorts of miracles, to believe they could perform another. Somehow JESUS knew they could do more than they thought, but HE also knew the people were hungry so HE performed the miracle.

• JESUS knows the faith I have.
• JESUS knows that if I believe and have faith in HIM, amazing things can happen.
• JESUS knows the plans HE has for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.

JESUS knows I can do more, but most times I don’t think so. I think miracles are for the select few and reduce GOD down to only finding keys, jobs and money. GOD can heal people, relationships and diseases. HE can bring lost people back to HIS loving arms and HE can even forgive me.

• Do you feel lost?
• Is GOD saying you can do more than you can ever imagine?
• Will you stop getting your faith from what you can see and rely on GOD to provide the power?