I think at
times we see those feeling in Jesus especially with respect to his disciples.
He pours into them and into them and into them and they keep leaving the drain
open. So, all that is poured in seems to run out. It is never there when they
need it. In the book of Mark chapter 6 his “boys” have been sent out in pairs
healing and casting out demons. They were very successful with their task. They
were sent simply on Jesus authority with no supplies at the Master’s command. It
works out. In verse 30 of chapter 6 they report all they had done and taught.
It was a great experience. There was this crowd.
The crowd
of 5000 men plus their wives’ and children had gathered to hear Jesus teach and
be healed. The time was good but the hour had grown late. The disciples tell
Jesus he must get done as these people need to get something to eat and where
they are there is nothing. (No Logan’s Road House yet it was under construction
oh that’s in Pooler sorry.) So, Jesus says to them, “you give them something to
eat.” (v. 37). Did he not hear them?
There are no resources and his disciples remind him of their lack of funds for
the task. They were frustrated. They saw the need and their supplies and the
two did not equal each other. Jesus must have been frustrated because earlier
in the chapter he had sent them out with nothing but his name and that had been
all they needed. This situation was no different. They still had nothing but
Jesus. Think about that “nothing but Jesus.”
Yep you
guessed it God showed up and asked, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see!”
Their answer was five loaves and two fish. Not enough for one of them to eat
well much less 5000 men and their families. But God showed up and changed
everything. The rest of the story is he gave thanks and broke the loaves. When
all was said “they all ate and were satisfied” the disciples picked up twelve
baskets full of broken pieces of fish and bread.
Later
Jesus tells the disciples to go across the lake and he will follow. It is night
and these experienced fishermen are straining against the oars because of a
wind against them. It must have been a “dark and stormy night” so Snoopy would
say about Halloween time (I just thought I would throw that in there :p) not really.
They must have been concerned and on edge. It wasn’t going so well. Not like
they planned at least and they could do nothing about it. Like those times you
seem to be beating your head against the wall and getting nothing but a
headache. Jesus saw their struggle and is headed to them. God is going to show
up and change everything. This is the Halloween part, they see Jesus walking on
the lake and thought he was a ghost. They cried out and were terrified
(v.49-50). Immediately he spoke to them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be
afraid.” He got in the boat and the wind died down and they were completely
amazed. God showed up and changed everything.
That is
what He does. Jesus shows up and everything changes. That happened to me recently.
I had become frustrated with this thing I was involved in, frustrated enough to
about decide to quit. In my eyes it wasn’t working and was making no difference
and Jesus shows up unexpectedly, my small faith, and changes everything. I was
able to see he had been at work all along. I was just unaware of what he was
doing. My end of the road was not an end at all but rather a new leg of the
trip.
When God
shows up He changes everything. What more do you need?
In HIS
Service and Yours,
The Rev
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