(Shameless plug for my brother’s amazing artistry…Steve Kight Photography)
They didn’t exist yet, but…there should have been fireworks. It was an amazing feat. A miracle. 20,000 hungry people fed by multiplying 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.
I wonder if people in our nation can truly grasp the wonder of this miracle. We are surrounded by such abundance. Most of us have plenty of food on our tables, yet think about it, we still display ravenous appetites for other things. The advertising industry thrives because of our insatiable appetite for more, new, and different.
Yes, mankind experiences hunger for things in the physical realm, but we also know emotional hunger. Our souls crave purpose and value. At times we’ve all hungered for acceptance. Or hungered for healthy, loving relationships. Or peace. Or forgiveness. Or value. Or___________(fill in the blank). Today, it may be one thing, while tomorrow it will be another.
But, hunger reaches an even deeper level of our being and the sad thing is that I think many people don’t recognize that hunger for what it is. I wonder…as God looks at us, could He be seeing spiritual starvation? Unlike any other country in the world, we have a wealth of Bibles and biblical resources.We have an abundance of good, solid biblical teaching. Yet, few are feasting on what is readily available. We were created with an appetite for knowing God and His ways, yet we try to satisfy it with cheap sweets.
Why? Why do we hunger? Because we were created for the immensity of eternity. We were created for grandeur. We were created for more than this world can give. We will NEVER be satisfied with things of this earth. There will NEVER be enough.
If we look back to the days of Joseph in the Old Testament, we discover that the reason the Israelites wound up slaves in Egypt was because of their need for bread. They left their homeland during a drought and traveled to Egypt to obtain grain for survival. And they stayed! They literally went into bondage due to a lack of bread.
We do the same thing. We can easily become enslaved to our physical wants and emotional needs.
Jesus sees and knows. He met the physical needs of the people with bread and would later explain the parallel to their spiritual needs which affects emotional needs. He provided answers for how our spirits can truly be satisfied as with the richest of foods.
The crowd had a different idea in mind. More bread! More miracles! Let’s make Jesus a king. They were focused on the gifts and missing the character of the Giver. They didn’t recognize that Jesus was already the King of kings.
Jesus knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. John 6:15
One simple sentence that absolutely terrifies me.
Jesus cares. He gives. He teaches. But Jesus will NOT be taken by force. He cannot be manipulated. He defies exploitation. He will refuse to be used for anyone’s selfish agenda. He will withdraw. Let this be our warning.
There’s another choice. We can celebrate our King, trusting His timing and teachings.
I saw the most wonderful fireworks, celebrating our country’s freedom. Freedom that was bought with a precious price…battles fought, lives willingly sacrificed.
I was reminded that there is an eternal home where we will celebrate our ultimate freedom from dissatisfaction, selfishness, death, and addictions. Freedom like we’ve never known. That freedom was also purchased at great expense. I kinda hope there are lots and lots of fireworks surrounding our King’s throne as we all bow and worship in wonder and awe.
Questions to ponder:
For what “things” have I hungered?
When have I been guilty of trying to manipulate God for my own selfish gain?
debponders 