Seven Baskets Full, In Desolate Places ♡♡♡

 

"And his disciples answered him, "How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?" - Mark 8:4

The crowd had gathered again like they would; nothing to eat except following around the One who is the bread of life Himself [well, great company if you ask me]. Scripture, says that Jesus was moved with compassion, because the people had been following Him all around now for three whole days. Imagine the hunger and exhaustion. He said to his disciples "If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way and some of them have come from far" - Mark 8:3. Behold the heart and mind of the one who loves you very much. If you ever had any doubt about Jesus's love for you, here is a portion of scripture that shows you the heart and nature of your saviour. Compassionate, thoughtful and caring.

But the disciples had to remind Jesus, about this one important thing. "How can one feed these people with bread here? In this desolate place?" - Mark 8:4. Like Jesus, do you even know where we are at? Where do we start from? How is it possible for all of these people to feed in this place that looks like there's nothing? Why have you decided to take this tall order upon yourself?  Fair enough, that's how the disciples saw it. Hopeless, Impossible, dry, limiting, pointless, frustrating, inadequate, empty. Probably how we would have seen it too.

"And he asked them, How may loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven." And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having give thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. and they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them and they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full" - Mark 8:5-8

What a miracle!!!!! Jesus begins with what was already provided. Nothing is ever little in the hands of Jesus. Turns out the disciples had seven loaves in hand and a few small fish even. Could they have thought so little of what they had?  Or were the disciples guarding what they had for themselves? How can these even feed the crowd to begin with?. Jesus, goes ahead to direct the crowd to sit on the ground. He gives thanks: because our attitude should always be one of gratitude for what we already have. Gratitude, no matter how little they appear. Jesus breaks them and hands it back to the disciples. He blesses the "small fish" also and asked for them to be set before the crowd. Guess what? the people ate and they were satisfied. Some more mind blowing stuff?  The disciples took up the broken pieces left over and it was seven baskets full. Friends, let's not worry about the "mathematics" of things where Jesus is concerned. You might get a headache.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" - Matthew 5:6

Jesus took great responsibility for the crowd that had followed him around for three whole days. They followed him to a point where they found themselves in a desolate place. Apart from their spiritual wellbeing, Jesus cared also for their physical wellbeing. Jesus taught the disciples a lesson is compassion, gratitude and of complete trust and reliance. We ought to be this way too, to the world around us and the people we call brothers and sisters in the faith. 

I encourage you? That God does not only care about your Spiritual needs, he also cares about your physical needs too? Jesus takes you as his responsibility when you begin to seek and thirst after Him. That God will not take you so far, only to leave you stranded in the desolate places of life. That for those who truly thirst and seek for Jesus wholeheartedly, He will satisfy them. Amen!

Love,

Shay