Leftovers

When my oder boys were teenagers and swimming for their HS swim team, they had two-a-day practices. Their caloric intake could be calculated by our monthly food costs!! They ate constantly. One sad result was that we never had leftovers. If all the dinner Lyn fixed for our family was not gone within 10 minutes of serving, it certainly disappeared before our vultures settled into their beds. We had no need for tupperware!

Now, with only two children left at home and my beautiful bride still not too sure how much food to fix for a "normal" family of four, we finally have leftovers in our fridge in the morning...it is awesome.

Jesus taught his disciples one of his most important lessons using leftovers. Twice, in Mark 6 and in Mark 8, Jesus feeds the multitudes. Mark states that Jesus had compassion for the people and had them sit down and then took five loaves and fed 5000 and then took seven loaves and fed 4000. Even though the 12 disciples distributed the food, they were still pretty clueless as to who Jesus was....they saw Him as some miracle worker.

Later in chapter 8, Jesus warns them to trust Him and have faith in Him....the disciples get it all wrong and begin to argue about the fact that they had brought only one loaf of bread with them as they journeyed with the Master...not enough food for 13 men.

I am amazed at their dullness and hard heartedness and their blind eyes and stopped ears, yet I must admit that I am no less dull as I live out my discipleship.

Jesus rebukes the 12 for their lack of understanding. He asks them how many basketfulls of leftovers they picked up after the feeding of the 5000....they quickly respond with "twelve." He asks them how many baskets of leftovers they picked up after the feeding of the 4000...they quickly respond with "seven." Did it dawn on them that if, from five loaves they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers and if from seven loaves they picked up 7 baskeds of leftovers (and these were huge baskets...not your puny cute picnic baskets) that Jesus could provide for them from the one loaf of bread?

God has a way of providing beyond our needs. He is our provider as we recognize His compassion and love for those who call Him LORD.

As I look out over our congregation and preached this message, I honestly doubted God's ability to provide as I looked at family after family who are in need. Do I really believe and apply what I know to be true? I can read it and study it and preach it....do I believe it. Lyn recieved a phone call on Monday about this passage. One of our families in our church related to Lyn five consecutive things that occured beginning Sunday after church through the day on Monday of God's miracles of providing...abundantly and excessively. It was their children who reminded mom and dad of God's love and desire to provide.

For me, Jesus rebuke of "don't you remember" rings in my ears when I doubt God's ability and desire to provide. I remember time after time when He provided answers to prayers and needs in my life and in the life of my family. YES, he does provide our needs and He often provides in excess.

God is a compassionate God who loves His children.

Blessings and joy,

Rob