Jesus’ love – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

Come away

[Jesus] said to [his disciples], “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” …

He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning he came toward them… (Mark 6:31, 48)

I was thinking today about what a good shepherd Jesus is.

He doesn’t simply ask us to serve, serve, serve. He’s not merely interested in what we do for him.

He cares about us.

So there are times when he says to us, Hey, stop working a bit. Come away with me and rest a while.”

Not only that, during those times when he sees us “straining at the oars”, when the wind is against us, he doesn’t callously ignore our struggles. He comes out to us and aids us.

I was thinking of verses 51-52.

They were completely astounded, because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Yes, Jesus’ disciples were probably primarily astounded by his power.

But the lesson about the loaves was not simply that Jesus has the power to help us. The lesson about the loaves is that like a good shepherd, Jesus cares about us.

And that’s what touches me most about this passage.

My Shepherd cares for me.

Three questions

So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?”

He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. (John 6:5-6)

I was thinking this morning what it meant that Jesus was testing Phillip.

What was he asking Phillip?

I’m not sure, but I imagine he was asking, “Do you know who I am yet? Do you know what I’m capable of doing? How much do you trust me?”

If that’s what Jesus was asking, Phillip failed the test on all three counts.

All he could see was the disciples’ inadequacy in meeting the needs of the crowd.

But Jesus already knew what he was going to do. And in his grace, he used what little Phillip and the disciples had to feed thousands.

Sometimes, I am like Phillip. Jesus sees people around me he wants to minister to. He already knows what he’s going to do. But he turns to me and asks, “Do you know who I am yet? Do you know what I’m capable of? How much do you trust me?”

But instead of seeing who Jesus is and what he can do, all I can see is my own weaknesses and inadequacies.

The truth is, my weaknesses and inadequacies are irrelevant. What’s important is who Jesus is. What he can do.

The only question is will I trust him and do what he asks.

Because Jesus is more than able to take what little I have to touch those around me with his love.

So maybe I need to think on those questions more.

“Do you know who I am yet?”

“Do you know what I’m capable of doing?”

“Do you trust me?”