I Can Eat All I Want

"...And the people ran out of food again..." (Mark 8:1)

This short little phrase jumped out to me as I read the passage in Mark 8. Perhaps because this kind of thing happens to me all the time.

My food is a little different than theirs was on that day. Sometimes it's strength to get through the day. I might have found it in approval from someone or based on the circumstances that are in front of me. Other times it's patience with someone I simply can't be patient with... I muster up all the strength I've got to bite my tongue so that I don't say something I'll regret later.

Sometimes I'm trying to help a fellow Christian out and search the banks of what I know for truth they may need. Yet more times than not it's just my ability to maintain my "calm and cool" reputation everyone seems to think I have.

Although I have lot's of different food I pull out of my basket, my food consistently runs out.  Does yours?

And when it does, I kick myself for not remaining the person I was supposed to be. Do you? 

My own expectations of myself are hard to live up to. Other's expectations of me are also too high for me to succeed at pleasing them. Even Christianity itself is difficult to live out!

My food basket is constantly emptied, and just like those people who'd used up their food in pursuit of something good, I use up my food in pursuit of becoming someone that Jesus will notice.

"Jesus... told [His disciples], 'I feel sorry for these people... If I send them away hungry, they will faint along the way.'" (Mark 8:1b-3)

This amazed me. He wasn't chiding the people for running out of bread. He didn't judge them for trying, though they were in pursuit of the Miracle Maker and completely missed the point. He simply had compassion on them.

Neither did He send them away to try and take care of their own needs. These people had been in pursuit of Him, but it was only when their food ran out could they have an opportunity to see His mighty power at work.

And that's how He is towards you and I when our food runs out too!

 "His disciples replied, 'How are we supposed to find enough food for them out here in the wilderness?'" (Mark 8:4)

The disciples thought Jesus wanted them to provide for he needs of the people. But Jesus never said that! He was merely expressing His heart of compassion to them, showing them yet a glimpse into what He could see.

It is not our responsibility to try harder when we run out of love or forgiveness for that person who annoys or hurt you, or when we run out of patience, joy, purpose, or peace. The fact is, we will run out. Our resources are meager, and there is no chance that we will in our own baskets be able to provide an everlasting supply for our own needs. Not gonna happen!

"Jesus asked, 'How much bread do you have?' 'Seven loaves,' they replied." (Mark 8:5)

When Jesus asked that question, He already knew the answer. He condescends to their temporal view and shows them that indeed there is not enough bread. He was helping them to see this was not dependent on them.

You can almost hear the self-pity in their voices as they respond that they have a mere seven loaves... What good would that do with 4,000 people standing there waiting to be fed? These disciples are just as helpless to provide the bread these people need as the people themselves are!

"So Jesus told all the people to sit on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces..." (Mark 8:6)

Here He set an example to you and I. Our baskets are empty and what are we supposed to do? Thank God for that which we do not have and let Jesus break that which we do have into pieces. 

When we allow Jesus to take our bread and break it into pieces, we exchange our meager provision for His miracle working power. We give Him thanks for that which He has promised He will do -empower us to live out this life abundantly, full of joy and power. He breaks our bread -tearing apart our confidence in the flesh, and proves in that brokenness that He is the Miracle Worker.

And then, through our faltering confidence, He works. He multiplies. He feeds. He gives. And we simply take that which He provides and pass it on into a broken world....

"...He gave them to His disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd." (Mark 8:6)

Jesus was the One who performed the miracle, yet He used His doubting, self-pitying disciples to distribute His provisions to the needy people before Him.

And then the miracle took place, not before. As they passed the provision to the crowd, they watched, and to their awe and surprise, the greatest miracle of all happened...

"They ate as much as they wanted..." (Mark 8:8)

Four thousand people and seven loaves of bread... And they ate as much as they wanted! Jesus could have only provided enough for each of them to get a bite. But as they continued to eat, He continued to feed them more and more and it overflowed until their were seven large baskets of leftovers!

He doesn't get tired of providing for your needs, dear Christian. He never runs out of grace for you. You will run out. But He never will. And you can have as much as you want.

But here is where we get hung up. Just like that crowd, we often follow Jesus for the provisions. Sometimes, like in this story, He does, and other times, He doesn't. 

Often, I look for the feeling of satisfaction, fulfillment, love, peace, etc. from Christ. But I've lost the point. I'll never find those until I find the One who gives them. Don't seek His hand, seek His face!

When you seek Him for Him and not for what He gives, getting your basket full is automatic, because the grace, the peace, the joy, the hope, the love, the satisfaction.... all of it, are not something He gives, but rather something He is. It is not found in His hand, but rather, in His person.

I've heard it said that you can be as close to God as you want to be. The possibility of being close to Him and having your needs met is only limited by your own will. Jesus doesn't hold you back from experiencing His love. He doesn't put His hand out in front of you as you seek to enter into the presence of God and say, "You can go no further."

In fact, the ministry of Christ is quite the opposite. He came seeking to reconcile you to His Father. He wants you to get close, deep into the heart of the God, safe in His hands, resting in His presence, needs met.

Christ died to bring you close to the Father, who without limit fills up your baskets with His grace and peace, His love and power -provisions for every kind of need you will have. And you can have as much of Him as you want.

Press deeper into His presence, dear Christian. :)