Mark 6 - 9.16.26

Scripture

 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” (Mark 6:32)

Observation

A crowd followed Jesus to the wilderness to hear from him. Jesus spent a long day teaching them. The disciples were worried that they were in a remote place, and the people would not be able to get anything to eat. They asked Jesus to dismiss the crowd so that they can go to nearby villages and get something to eat.

Jesus in response tells them to give them something to eat (verse 37). The disciples responded in disbelief - did Jesus expect them to spend a fortune to buy food for thousands of people (verse 37). Jesus asked them, “how many loaves do you have?” (verse 38).

There was a young boy whose mother had packed five loaves and two fish for his lunch (John 6:8). When the disciples were asking around for food, he brought it to them and they brought it to Jesus. Jesus multiplied it, and made it enough to satisfy five thousand men, and an unnumbered crowd of women and children.

If the boy had held on to his food, it would just have been enough for one meal for him. When he gave it to Jesus, he multiplied it - enough for a crowd of five thousand men, their wives and their children! And with 12 baskets of leftovers!

Application

Sometimes God asks us to trust him with what we have, before he multiplies it. Before I continue on this, I want to clarify that the Bible does not teach us that if we give God money, he is obligated to give us more. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme.

This is about an act of faith and trust. When the widow of Sarephath was looking at her last meal with her son before facing certain death before her meal, Elijah asked her to use that flour and oil to make him bread! She ended up having enough flour and oil every single day for the rest of the famine. (1 Kings 17:8-16)

When the widow who was in debt asked Elisha for help to deal with her creditors, he asked her what she had - she had some oil in her house. God caused it to multiply, and she was able to sell it and pay off all her debt. (2 Kings 4:1-7)

The biggest ask was to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love — Isaac—and …Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering ..” (Genesis 22:2). When Abraham put Isaac on the altar, God gave Isaac back to him and did not let him go through with the sacrifice. And in return, God gave up his only begotten son (Jesus) to complete the sacrifice and pay the price for the sins of all of Abraham’s sons and daughters.

What does surrender mean to you? What is God asking you to give him - to trust him with? Would you surrender your hopes, your desires, your ambitions, your plans and your most treasured prizes at his feet?

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for loving me and making me your own. You are the most precious gift I have (2 Cor 9:15).You are my Lord and Master, and everything I have - I have received from you, and it all belongs to you.  Lord please show me any areas of my life that I have not surrendered to you. I know that I am not my own, and that I am bought at a price (1 Cor 6:19-20). May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight (Ps 19:14). Make my life a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to you (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen. 

- Asha Chacko George