Worried of Lack in the Presence of the Provider?

DEVOTION • “Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. . . . Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?’” (Mark 8:14, 17)

Read time: 2 min

After setting sail with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee, his disciples realized they'd forgotten to bring enough food. They had only one loaf for a baker’s dozen of hungry men! As Jesus mused aloud about his recent encounter with the Pharisees, he warned, “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees” (Mark 8:11–12). But the disciples completely missed what Jesus meant by this. Instead, they thought Jesus was angry that they’d forgotten food. He was upset at their forgetfulness—but not at them forgetting food. He chided them for so soon forgetting that he’d just multiplied a few loaves and fed thousands of people (Mark 8:1–9)!

“Don’t you understand? Can’t you see yet? Haven’t you heard? Don’t you remember?” (Mark 8:17–18)

Then he reminded them about the 5000 people he’d fed with only five loaves (i.e., Mark 6:41–44) and about the 4000 he’d just filled with only seven loaves.

What was Jesus’ point? What should they have understood? What should we understand?

Not overlooking the layers of theological meaning behind Jesus’ miracles regarding his identity, the arrival of the kingdom of God, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, etc., we should also not miss the more proximate and personal lesson Jesus wanted his disciples to learn:

Jesus is our all-sufficient Provider. Our lack is no limitation to his abundance. Our failings are no foil to his power. Our needs do not negate his supply.

The hungry disciples worried about having enough bread in the presence of the very Bread of Life! And we do this too.

Have you learned this lesson? Have you forgotten it?

Jesus invites us to trust in—and count on—his limitless power to provide what we need today.

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Heavenly Father, convince my heart today that Jesus as my all-sufficient Multiplier. Empower me to live in the reality that my lack is no limitation to his abundance. Excite me with expectation that Christ is at work even now supplying what I lack. Amen. ❖