MARKAN
MEDITATIONS MARKAN
MEDITATIONS
Meditations in the Gospel of St.Mark
St. Mark 6:30-34
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THESE FEW verses are the introduction to the story of the feeding of the 5000. I guess that we tend to read them quickly, and in our eagerness to get on to the account of the 5000 being fed by Jesus, we tend to neglect meditating on these verses. Yet they have lessons to teach us, and so I felt it worthwhile to take them on their own.
The verses open by telling us what the disciples did immediately they returned from the ministry Jesus had sent them on earlier in the chapter. We read they reported to Jesus all they had done and taught. There is something so lovely about the fact they gathered around Jesus in order to do this. They wanted to share with Jesus what had happened.
Here we have an example of a duty and privilege which all Christians have. It is Jesus that sent the disciples out. He had told them what they had to do. He had given them authority to minister. It was his power that enabled them to see blessing in their ministry. It was his work. This is true of every believer. We live and serve only by the power and authority of Jesus. We do sometimes go out in our own strength and wisdom, but this is folly and needs to be corrected. The spiritual Christian comes to God each day seeking the direction and enabling of the Lord. At the end of the day we should do as these disciples did, and come to Jesus in prayer and report all that has happened. Nor must the report be brief and quick.
That is our duty, but it is also our great privilege. Jesus delights to have us come to him and tell him about our lives and all that we have experienced. When we have known blessing, we need to tell the Lord and praise him for it. Even when there seems not to have been much blessing, we have the privilege of sharing with Jesus all our experience. We have the inestimable privilege of being able to talk to him about our discouragements and failures, and pour out before him any grief we may have suffered. It is by this reporting to Jesus that we count our blessings and do not forget them. It is by this sharing that we remember every little thing, and we see that the Lord has answered our prayers even when we thought he had not. Above all, this fellowship with Jesus envelopes us with his love, for we never come reporting without experiencing the touch of the Lord, which enriches our life.
The next thing we read in these few verses is to see Jesus feeling for his disciples in the rush and stress of ministry, and drawing them apart so that they can be refreshed. The ministry given us by Jesus, even the Christian life itself, can be stressful. Duties press upon us. Peoples needs come thick and fast. The various things that have to be done in order for the Church of God to function are many and pressing. There often does not seem enough time for it all. It is so difficult to fit things in amongst family and business duties.
Jesus understands all this and cares for us in this stress, and we will find that he will lead us into green pastures, as it were, so that we can rest, and be refreshed both in body and in spirit. By this caring Jesus shows us the importance of times of refreshment, and by taking his disciples apart, teaches us that this is a must, even though there may be so many pressing duties still left undone. How often do we feel guilty if we go aside to pray and be with the Lord, as we remember all the things still to do. Jesus teaches us here not to feel any guilt. The good of our souls and the ability to serve, depends on these times of quiet.
Thirdly we learn by this that spiritual refreshment with Jesus needs a quiet place, where the distractions all around us can be excluded. Some are privileged to be able to have places in their homes where they can be alone with the Lord and be quiet in his presence. So many groan when they hear of this need, because in their lives and in their homes, they can never find a quiet spot. This is specially true of women with children, whose children seem to search you out every time you attempt to be quiet. There is a lesson here for such harassed ones, and it is this - that when an opportunity does present itself to be quiet with the Lord, grab it regardless of the duties that may be there to do. Jesus did this, when he went away into a quiet place to pray, even though there were so many people claiming his attention and help.
These times of quiet are really a first priority as it is only as we spend time with Jesus in this way that we grow to reflect his character, and find a restful and quiet spirit in the stresses of life. We need to resist all senses of guilt that we are neglecting duties when we seek the Lord in these times of quiet.
The next lesson is that we need to guard these times of quiet. Even Jesus and his disciples found that as soon as they had arrived at the place they hoped to be quiet, that the people had followed them and arrived first. All their plans were undone. We must never be overcome or discouraged by this happening. Like Jesus we throw ourselves upon God, and minister and teach, etc. with the prayer that next time the Lord will bless us with the quiet we need.
There is one thing we can also remember. If these times of quiet are to be worthwhile, then we shall need to teach ourselves the art of excluding mentally all that is buzzing in our minds and distracting us. This is time well spent at the beginning. It is achieved by seeking the Lord in his word and talking to ourselves and the Lord concerning what we are reading. Soon, as we practice this, we shall find Jesus taking over our minds and hearts, and stilling our spirits to listen and speak to the Lord.
Lastly, the fact that the people pursued Jesus and his disciples reveals a spiritual hunger and need underneath in people that often we feel is not there. It is true in the account of the feeding of the five thousand in John's Gospel, Jesus complains that the people did not come to him for the bread of life, but rather for temporal blessings, but there were still people there who hungered in their souls. We must do what Jesus did and take every opportunity to share the spiritual food we have been nourished on with others. Even if people come to us for temporal needs and seem to be totally preoccupied with these, let us not neglect to take up any opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with them, and look for opportunities to do so.
These lessons may not be very startling, and we may feel them to be mundane, and what we already know. However, we are always enriched and blessed as we give proper attention to them whenever they are presented to us in the Word of God. By constant reminders we never forget.