Happy Monday everyone!
This summer series has been a blast to share with you! I’m honored to receive your notes each week and respond to you. Thank you for trusting me with your stories and your faith journeys with God. Speaking of your stories, Happy Monday reader Marilyn G's inspiring “loaves & fishes” story is at the end of today’s devotion.
If you're just joining us, this series features biblical stories about trusting God's provision in uncertain times. This week, we’re wrapping up the story of Jesus’ feeding the 5,000. You can read about the disciples' scarcity mentality in last week's Happy Monday by scrolling to the bottom of this email.
Now, let's turn our attention to the crowd of people who showed up to hear Jesus teach. Today’s devotion demonstrates how to receive God’s provision. There’s a grumpy way to receive, but there’s also a gracious way.
Let’s look at how the crowd behaves and what we can learn - also, I'm sharing two important spiritual challenges in today's devotion for you:
1. THE CROWD SHOWED UP READY
Join me back at the beginning of Mark 6 and notice the crowd’s attitude:
But many people recognized them (Jesus and the disciples) and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead of along the shore and got there ahead of them.
Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. -Mark 6:33-34 NLT
Buzz about Jesus spread from town to town. Can you picture the people who hustled ahead of Jesus to make sure they were there when he arrived. That would be like us showing up at church before the pastor arrives. Why would the people do that? There was an expectancy in the crowd. They showed up ready! So, Jesus taught and other gospels record how Jesus healed the sick. But the people didn’t run off. They stayed.
2. THE CROWD STAYED TO LISTEN AND LEARN.
How many of us find ourselves really close to God when we’re seeking Him for something, but we drift from God once we receive what we want?
One of my favorite quotes is: Many seek the hand of God, but few seek His face. For a long time in my Christian journey, my prayers tended to be focused on my grocery list of needs. I tended to treat God like Amazon Prime, expecting Him to answer quickly because I was waiting and becoming discouraged if He didn’t.
CHALLENGE #1: When is the last time you prayed without asking God for anything? Prayer enlarges our view of God and shrinks our problems down to their rightful size. When focus on God’s power, love, and grace then our hope grows and we gain courage. If you're problems are taking up too much space in your mind, then it's time to fill your mind with more of God.
Back to the story: Even though Jesus healed the sick, the crowd stayed to listen. He provided hope for their daily lives under Roman oppression and hope for eternity. In the first week of the series, I reminded us that provision isn’t just tangible, but God provides wisdom, strength, courage, rest, peace, and hope. That’s what Jesus gave to the crowds that day - and often that’s what we need more than anything else, too.
3. THEY LET JESUS PREPARE THEM FOR THEIR BLESSING
However, there came a point when the people needed to eat. The disciples told Jesus to let the people figure out their food situation. There were no fast food restaurants for snacks or meals. There were no stadium chairs to sit in or canopies to find shade under. Here’s what Jesus said:
Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. -Mark 6:39-40 NLT
This was a curious detail for me. Jesus has two fish and five loaves. And a lot of people. The miracle hasn’t happened yet. Still, Jesus organizes the people before they receive. When you read groups think rows, not circles. In the original language, the term for groups referred to rows in an army formation. Why is this detail important? Otherwise, there may have been a mob of people on their feet, likely fighting their fellow Jews for food just after Jesus preached the gospel.
Jesus organized the people to graciously receive his provision. The same goes for us. If God promises to provide, then we do not need to scheme, compare, become pushy, or undercut others for God’s blessing. That's the grumpy way! Remember, God’s not on a budget. If He promises to provide, His provision will reach you. Can I get an amen?
4. GOD’S ABUNDANCE BLESSES ALL
This sweet part of the story is worth bringing back again - here’s Mark 6:43:
They all ate as much as they wanted.
Love it! In ancient times, food wasn’t as available as it is now. So, eating as much as they wanted was a tremendous blessing. The people departed full of the gospel and full of fish and bread.
But wait, there’s more! The disciples gathered up twelve baskets of leftovers. There was more left than what they started with. Look at God! As I reflect on that, I wonder if God aimed to drive home the reminder that He knew how to fill the likely crowd of 20,000 or more and still have leftovers?
Any guesses on what happened with the leftovers? Let me know if you have any thoughts.
5. DON’T WASTE GOD’S PROVISION!
While that may be a gross thought in our first-world modern culture, food was scarce back then, so those leftovers would be a blessing.
One more takeaway…The disciples collecting the leftovers could also be a reminder to be good stewards of God’s provision. Yes, we are to receive graciously, but also not waste or take God’s provision for granted.
CHALLENGE #2: Are there blessings that God has provided that you’ve allowed to go to waste, you’re not using, or you’re taking them for granted? Could this be a nudge for you to give away, sell, or donate those items so you can bless someone else, or, if you sell, repurpose God’s provision to another area of your life?
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: Was there a line or thought from today's devotion that caught your attention? Let me know! If you feel a nudge toward one or both of today's challenges, hit reply with “challenge” and I will be praying for you.
