Today's passage contains several amazing acts in my opinion. Obviously one was a miracle and I believe the only miracle (other than the Resurrection) that is reflected in all four gospels (how important do you think that fact is?).
When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida,but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here." He replied, "You give them something to eat." They answered, "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd." (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each." The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Have you ever wondered how far the crowds traveled on foot while carrying their sick and injured to follow Jesus. The Mark account says, "they ran together on foot..., and got there ahead of them" Mark 6:33. Most historians suggest that the shortest distance that Jesus would have traveled across the Sea of Galilee was four miles. Clearly, the shoreline would be much longer and and for many would include crossing the Jordan River. Here is a site that shows what I am trying to describe: http://dqhall59.com/feeding_5000.htm What a scene that must have been!
When I try to picture this in my mind, I keep thinking back to the crowds at Southern Hills following Tiger Woods around; and, the crowds of people that ran ahead hoping to find a spot that they could camp out so that they could get a glimpse. How desperate the crowds were to see Tiger Woods do something amazing on the golf course or how motivated the photographers were to try to get a picture of Tiger performing his amazing talents.
I remember carrying my son and my daughter (at different times), what I considered, great distances in order to have fun at sporting events or festivals. Clint Davison and I recently, reminisced of the walk to that soccer game that I mentioned a few daily thoughts ago, when Clint, very young Blake, very young Collin and I walked from the Navy Pier in Chicago to Soldier Field because it looked like it could not be very far (3 miles later :). I remember how weary I was after those walks and I remember wondering: "was the fun worth the trouble".
How badly the crowds must have wanted to be with Jesus that they dropped everything (even with no consideration for food), gathered their sick and ran to follow Him - miles and miles from their homes. I am not sure how many miles the farthest crowds came but it was an amazing feat. Do you think that they longed to be with Jesus? Do you think they were like the Psalmist described in Psalm 42:1 " As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God."
How many times have we gone beyond the point of physical exhaustion for entertainment's sake? I wonder if my passion for Christ would lead me to make the same efforts to be with Him or to lead others to Him?
We will briefly discuss the other points from this passage tomorrow.
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1 comment:
It was also a "very young" Clint - or at least youngER. Great work here - very though-provoking. How far am I willing to go for concert tickets, or special event tickets? Am I willing to put half that effort into honoring, worshipping and sharing my God?
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