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Reading - Preparing for the Miraculous (Matthew 14:13-21)
Many of us are so taken up with the miracles of Jesus that we miss the preparation that may have gone on behind the scenes. We can get taken up with the outward appearance but miss the depth of the 'inner man'. People often did this with Jesus and there seems to be a danger of the same thing happening today.
At another time the disciples could not cast out a demon but they had not had the preparation of the fasting and prayer that produces Christ-centred character (Mark 9:29). Here everyone was going to get tied up with the miraculous feeding but as Jesus was going to say to His disciples later - you've missed the heart of the story.
The day begins with Jesus wanting some time to Himself after hearing the news of John the Baptist's death. He knew what that meant to Him in terms of the ministry and He wanted a little quiet. However, the crowds would not let Him go and by the time He came to His place of rest and quiet 1000s had turned up. What would you have done? I know it would have been very tempting to complain and go elsewhere but Jesus could not do that because of the Holy Spirit within.
He therefore shows compassion and sets about the whole day ministering to other people's needs and not having bouts of self pity. Compassion is a marvellous gift from God that we should seek from him. Compassion means that you cannot look at real needs and just ignore them. Compassion means that, within your capabilities, you have to act to meet the needs you see.
The miracle also shows that unless we rely on Christ and who He is we will never witness the miraculous. The miracle is a work of God, not a work of my faith or my ability and resources.
As soon as the Lord indicated that he wanted to feed the crowd the disciples brought their own human thinking into play and wondered where they could get enough money to buy food. How often we fall back on our own thinking - no wonder the New Testament talks about the renewing of the mind.
Having the means of the miracle in their hands - the 5 loaves and 2 fish - the disciples were still unable to do anything themselves. They had to give the means into the Lord's hands who blessed, broke and gave. Then the miracle happened. Do we see the need to place into the Lord's hands what we think might be the only means we have to help in order that God can bless, he can break and then he can give?
The disciples, unfortunately, didn't learn the lesson at this time, even when they picked up 12 baskets of crumbs from just 5 small loaves and 2 fish. In other words there was more over at the end than when they started! God's provision is plentiful but it takes more than one miracle, it seems, to have the lesson sink into the hearts of the disciples.
No time to gloat over their triumph though, immediately
they got into the boat - but that's another story.