Benji's Blogspot

       You know, it’s funny how we can sometimes react to the gifts that God has given to us. We have such a loving Lord that sees our needs, and meets them better than we could ever accomplish alone. Yet somehow we aren’t always satisfied with the gift- we see opportunities for more, and miss the blessing altogether. I think we could all learn a lesson from the hungry crowd in Matthew.

Check out the cartoon – thousands of people in Matthew were so poor and hungry that “…He was moved with compassion…” (Matt.14:14) for them, and fed them in abundance. Jesus saw they wanted Him, and they were in need of Him. They followed Him, because they knew what He had to offer was worth it all. Their faith in Jesus took them wherever He went. No one was attracted to Jesus’ teaching by a “FREE MASSIVE DINNER” sign – that wasn’t anywhere on anyone’s agenda. Sure the thousands of people were hungry, but they were hungry for Jesus more than for food.

I think this is what Jesus was telling the Disciples to feed the crowd with – the gospel. Still, the disciples didn’t understand the ‘hunger’ in the sense Jesus did. He saw the crowd with His heart, and they saw the crowd with their stomach. So, Jesus gave to the crowd in a way the Disciples could get the picture; in His compassionate action, Jesus basically said, ‘These people will only be satisfied by what I can give them, and I will give as no one else can – only me.’

So, the next time we find ourselves saying, “Yeah, it would have been better if,” just remember how hungry you were when you were ‘going without’ altogether. Then, take time to thank Him in prayer, worship, with a grateful heart.