Jesus is a sovereign and gracious God. After sharing that to His disciples, He goes even farther and gives them an example of His provision. In verse 10 we read about the feeding of the five thousand men, plus the women and children. In this situation thousands of people are following Jesus and His disciples into the wilderness to hear Jesus’ preaching and to be healed of diseases. After a long day the disciples became concerned and asked Jesus to send the people back so that they can go and find something to eat (v.12). To what Jesus responded, “You give them something to eat” (v.13). Jesus is telling them why should I send them away to find something to eat when they have already found, when they are already in the presence of their provider, their provision?
If you know the story, Jesus fed 5000 men, plus women and children with five loaves and two fish. He TOOK the five loaves and the two fish and LOOKING up to heaven, He BLESSED and BROKE them (v.16). And it doesn’t stop there, the Bible teaches us that that everyone ate and were filled, satisfied. And not only that, but they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers!
Throughout this experience the name of the Lord Jesus Christ was not only glorified, but in His grace He gave a picture to His disciples of what He is going to do for them. Of how He is going to provide and be their provision, an abundant provision, as He call them to go and preach the Gospel and leave everything behind taking no bag, no money, no food, no shirt. Jesus is saying, the message you carry is so important that you do not have time to pack your bags, you need to go immediately. But He is also sharing that the only way you can go and preach this message is by totally abandoning yourselves to the cause, therefore taking nothing. And take nothing because you serve the One who is everything, who created everything and He will be your provider, and more than that, He will be the provision at all times.
Jesus is not only asking us to deny ourselves, but to take up our cross daily and follow Him. He modeled that for us, He denied His nature as God and humbled Himself and became a servant for all of us. He took up the cross daily, and went beyond to fulfill His Father’s will and gave up His life on that Cross. He followed the will of His Father above all. He was God in the nature of men; He felt the pain, the anguish, so that we can have the hope that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. We can do it all because He already did it for us; all we have to do is follow the model, Jesus Christ.
Will I today take up my cross and deny myself and follow Him? And not waste time in worrying about the needs for the road. Why? Because we serve the one that created the road, we serve the one that fed 5000 men plus women and children, not only once, but twice with two fish and five loaves. We serve the one who gave it all so that we can have life, a new life in Christ.
So go and enjoy of His presence, enjoy of His provision, His abundant provision.
…And they were satisfied
Enjoy His Grace, Extend His Glory,
