Trusting in God

So this has been on my heart for quite a while. I have been reading the Gospel of Mark. These 3 different stories popped out at me the most.

First is the story of the Feeding of the 5,000

Mark 6:30-44

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a q

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. ³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

³⁵ By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. ³⁶Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

³⁷ But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages^{e]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[e]}! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

³⁸ “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

³⁹ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. ⁴¹ Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² They all ate and were satisfied, ⁴³and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. ⁴⁴ The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

This is one of the most popular bible stories in general. But I mean seriously you think after this the Apostles would trust in him and believe, nope it takes a couple more miracles before they really start to trust in him. I mean Jesus has done miracles before, this isn't like his first Miracle or anything.

Then Jesus does it again with feeding the 4,000.

¹ During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ² “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

⁴ His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

⁶ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. ⁷ They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. ⁸ The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ⁹ About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, ¹⁰ he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.¹² He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.uiet place and get some rest.”

I find this story very funny. I mean seriously I love the the 4th verse "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” Seriously he just did the feeding of the 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. He has to feed a thousand less people he had 7 loaves of bread this time and a couple of small fish. I think this is a great reminder to all of us, that the Apostles weren't perfect either, and they were with Jesus and had seen him do Miracles before. Sometimes, we can think that the Apostles are nothing like us, because they were in a different time and such. But they are human like us, but they were with Jesus. It gets better though.

Jesus calls them out.

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

¹⁶ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

I think this is one of my favorites excerpt from the bible. They apostles are like dang it we don't have enough bread for the trip. Jesus over hears them and is like really?? Really?? Did you not see me just feed 5,000 with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and 4,000 people with only 7 loaves and some small fish. Do you really think I cant produce enough bread for the 13 of us with one loaf. This hit right home for me because, God has done so many amazing things in my life, but when something crazy comes up in my life I start to doubt God again and He is like really Bobby? Really? Did you not just see what I have done in your life, I have helped you overcome and you don't think I will be able you now in your time of need. Of course God comes through, I just need to be pointed in the right direction. It really opened my eyes to see that the Apostles who are right there with Jesus can have the same doubt as me.

Now as I go into Lent, this is a time to let go of that fear of God not being there for us and to not harden hearts for him, but for him to break the chains, and to set us free. Let him work in you and through you. God is with us and He Loves us.

I am going to be trying to a couple of blog posts a week for Lent.

God Bless

Your Brother in Christ

Bobby Tull