How large is the love of Christ? ∙

How large is the love of Christ? ∙

May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. – Ephesians 3:18

Ephesians 3:16-20

 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Webster defines “incomprehensible” as something “impossible to comprehend.” Can we truly understand what is deemed incomprehensible? Throughout history, meaningful efforts have been made to decode the incomprehensible through the arts. Artists have managed to convey messages without the use of words, utilizing a variety of art forms. Consider the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Art predominantly communicates through the language of visual imagery, converting profound and lofty concepts into accessible symbols that encapsulate these ideas.

Art gives the imagination free rein, allowing you to experience the surrounding world differently and then record how you feel about it without relying on words (study.com). Georgia O’Keeffe explained, ‘‘I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.’’

Poetry is an exception. Unlike the reliance on nonverbal imagery typical of other art forms, poetry crafts verbal imagery to evoke mental pictures. T.S. Eliot famously said, “Genuine poetry is able to communicate something to us even before it is understood.” Ponder that for a moment.

Elliott elaborated, “The task of the poet, in making people comprehend the incomprehensible, demands immense resources of language; and in developing the language, enriching the meaning of words and showing how much words can do, he is making possible a much greater range of emotion and perception for other men, because he gives them the speech in which more can be expressed . . ..”

Elliott proposes that comprehension via logical reasoning takes a back seat to conveying ideas through artistic expression.

Comparably, the Scriptures introduce a different approach to understanding, involving prayer and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called . . ..

Ephesians 3:18-19

 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Paul prays that the children of the King comprehend the breadth, depth, length, and height of the love of Christ. “It is as if Paul invited us to look at the universe – to the limitless sky above, to the limitless horizons on every side, to the depth of the earth and of the seas beneath us, and said: ‘The love of Christ is as vast as that’” (Barclay).

Paul was granted the ability to handle concepts that surpass human understanding: the infinite, eternal attributes of the Father, the living God. He sketches a verbal image to convey the immeasurable extent of the love of Christ. In doing so, he achieves the seemingly impossible. Paul “puts God in a box.” He prays for the ability to comprehend the incomprehensible width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love.

REFLECT & PRAY

“The Four Magnitudes – width, length, height, and depth – are poetic expressions for the infinitude of God’s love” (Hughes).

Father, I recognize how little I understand. May I rely on You to empower me to grasp Your boundless, multi-faceted love. May Your Spirit truly enlighten me in all things.

INSIGHT

What is the magnitude of Christ’s love? This deliberately provocative question defies easy answers. Paul encourages us to seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to grasp the infinite, which is definitely beyond our limited, finite abilities.

“Just as Christ’s riches are unsearchable (Ephesians 3:8), so is his love too great for us to grasp completely. Like children who have seen the ocean for the first time, we should never cease to marvel at the magnitude of the love of Christ. Without the divine assistance that Paul requests for us, we would never be able to understand the love of Christ beyond a superficial level” (Boles).

The original Greek is somewhat terse. It simply reads, “In order that you may be strong to grasp/comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” (Boles).

The Greek word translated as strong is exischuo. Exischuo is only used once in the entire New Testament. It connotes the idea of being able to grasp, lay hold of, possess, or seize. It literally means to have full strength (ATR) and has the sense of “being fully able to grasp” (UBS). Paul is interceding for thechildren of the King to be fully able to rise to the challenge and comprehend the incomprehensible. We are to grasp that which is just too big to grasp.

The Greek word for grasp, comprehend, and understand is katalambano. Katalambano means “to take hold firmly for oneself, especially to comprehend with the mind.” It means to be able to understand, perceive, or learn the meaning of something.

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can grasp what seems beyond understanding. Our own limited human insight and abilities fall short, but through the remarkable empowerment of the Holy Spirit, what was once impossible becomes possible.

John 14:26 When the Father sends the Helper as my representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

How immense is the love of God? A.W. Tozer explained, “God is self-existent, His love had no beginning because he is eternal, his love can have no end because he is infinite it has no limit because he is holy it is the quintessence of all spotless purity because he is immense, his love is an incomprehensibly vast, bottomless, shoreless sea . . ..”

Paul’s prayer transforms an impossible task into a responsibility for every child of the King. Knowing that it is humanly impossible, “He calls us to this grand spiritual exercise for the health of our souls. It is to be our life’s occupation. Have we seriously devoted time to thinking about and trying to understand his love? Have we contemplated his love in, say, the Incarnation? – the cross? – great passages such as this one which extol his love? If not, we have failed in our duty” (Hughes).

Each child of the King is tasked to pray for the ability to comprehend the incomprehensible. We are to pray that God will empower us with inner strength through His.

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© Dr. H 2024

To such belongs the kingdom of God

To such belongs the kingdom of God

Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. – Luke 18:16

Mark 10:13-16

 13 One day, some parents brought their children to Jesus so that he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

 14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.”

 15 “I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

The value placed on children has varied from culture to culture throughout history. Concern over rapid population growth in modern China led to the development of informal guidelines to encourage later marriages and longer intervals between births. This policy was summarized as “later, longer, fewer.” In 1979, a one-child policy was mandated to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems.

Families were offered incentives like financial rewards and better access to education for their children, while those who didn’t comply faced penalties like fines and loss of employment. Children were not greatly valued in this context.

However, things were quite different in Jewish culture in the first century A.D. The sentiments go back to the time of The Fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In Genesis 30:1, Rachel, Jacob’s wife, expresses her frustration and desperation to him (Hughes). Rachel is unable to have children, and her demand, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” reflects the significant cultural value placed on childbirth, as well as her personal anguish over her inability to conceive.

Placing hands on children for prayer and benediction originates in Genesis 48:14-15 (Swete). It was a common desire among Jewish mothers to have their children receive a blessing from a revered and notable Rabbi, particularly on the occasion of their first birthday. It was because this tradition that children were brought to the Lord Jesus Christ on such a day.

How old are the children?

Several Greek words for children are used in the New Testament. In Mark 10:13 the Greek word ispaidion, which refers to prepubescent children of either gender. Paidion is typically translated as child or little child.

Mark 10:13-16

 13 One day, some parents brought their children to Jesus so that he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

The full impact of this scene is grasped only when we consider its timing. He was en route to Jerusalem for the final week of His life, culminating in death on the cross. He was fully aware of the fate that awaited Him. The looming specter of His crucifixion was never far from His thoughts.

However, despite the overwhelming impending doom, He still made time for the children. Amidst the shadow of imminent sorrow, He found time to touch their heads with His hands and bless them, hold them close, smile and laugh, and perhaps even engage in some brief play, enjoying their shrieks of joy and laughter.

Perhaps He calls each of these Jewish children by name: Benjamin, Sarah, Ruthie, Michelle, James, and Joseph. Close your eyes and imagine for a moment. Do you see Jesus running His fingers through their hair? He quietly whispers, “Just as I planned before the world began, it turned out so lovely.” He softly declares, “Oh dear ones, it is for you that I am about to die.”

REFLECT & PRAY

“We tell the children to behave like adults, but Jesus tells the adults to model themselves after the children!” (Wiersbe).

Father thank You that You are really my Father and I am Your child by adoption into Your Forever Family. Hold me close and allow me to experience Your gentle love and embrace. May I never hurt Your heart again by my insensitive actions.

INSIGHT

Have you ever been interrupted while heading to an important meeting or sporting event? It can be very frustrating. How did you respond? What happens when you have important plans and your own small children want to play with you? How do you act? Could your response be reminiscent of W.C. Fields’ snarky remark, “Get away from me, kid; you bother me.”

Such comments are typical of our fallen DNA. Somehow, we think it’s all about us, but not so for the Lord Jesus Christ.

The disciples became agitated when the parents brought their children to Jesus. They lashed out, rebuked, and scolded the parents. Why did the disciples do this? On the one hand, could it be that they considered the children a distraction? Or perhaps they were trying to protect the Lord Jesus Christ from the crowds who had previously thronged Him.

Mark 5:24 And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.

The text doesn’t provide the why behind their actions. Perhaps it was a little bit of both. They wanted to protect Him and keep Him on task.

What they didn’t realize was that Jesus was on task. This became a teaching moment for the Lord Jesus Christ that echoes through the centuries. He was showing the world how the Father reaches out to touch every one of us equally, with no favoritism or bias.

But there’s more.

The Greek term for indignant is ēganaktēsen, which conveys a deep, emotional response. It comes from the verb aganaktéō, which combines ágan, meaning ‘intensely,’ and áchthos,which translates as‘pain’ or ‘grief.’ It signifies more than mere annoyance. Jesus was deeply moved to anger, experiencing genuine pain. His heart ached at the way the children were being treated.

Despite the significant time the disciples had spent with Him, they still couldn’t grasp His essence. They didn’t understand His spirit and loving heart. His desire goes beyond just spending time with children; He deeply cherishes these moments. He is passionate about offering them affection and warmth, about enveloping them in His arms and pulling them close – so close that they can hear the rhythm of His heartbeat.

Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them!

But there’s even more.

Mark 10:14 For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.

We enter the kingdom of God by faith. We come like little children: helpless, unable to save ourselves, totally dependent on the mercy and grace of God (Wiersbe). “Little children are paradigmatic disciples, for only empty hands can be filled” (James Edwards).

What qualities in young children should we emulate? They are trusting, receptive, and dependent. They possess great faith and count on others for their care and protection. They have short memories. When others hurt them, they forget “and forget so completely that they do not even need to forgive” (Barclay).

Entering the kingdom of God requires faith like that of a child: helpless and unable to save ourselves. We lean on God’s mercy and grace. We believe that the Father loves us and provides for our daily needs. How does a child react to pain or trouble? They seek comfort from their parents. This behavior serves as a model for how we should approach our Heavenly Father. Indeed, God calls us to be childlike but forsake childish ways (Wiersbe).   

To such belongs the kingdom of God

The Father always has time for us! “The height of Christian experience is to be blessed by Jesus” (Kaleb Allen).

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© Dr. H 2024

Facing death with confidence ∙

Facing death with confidence ∙

 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. – Philippians 1:21

Philippians 1:19-27

 19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

 20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.

 21 For to me, living means living for Christ and dying is even better.

 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.

 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

 25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.

 26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.

 27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

When the Japanese invaded China in the late 1930s, Dr. William Wallace was a medical missionary in Wuzhou, China. He was responsible for Stout Memorial Hospital and determined to provide care for patients in South China for as long as possible.

His selfless work of love and care had a remarkable impact. The Chinese people had negative feelings towards foreigners in their country, but Dr. Wallace’s dedication began to change their minds. They had heard foreign missionaries preach sermons before, but they had never witnessed someone living out their beliefs in such a profound way. Dr. Wallace became a living sermon, and he won their respect and admiration not only for his medical skills but also for his unwavering commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The situation in China went from bad to worse. The Japanese were eventually driven out, but the Chinese communists soon took over. Dr. Wallace’s life and dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ went against everything the Communists stood for, and he was quickly arrested and accused of being a spy. Despite this, he remained calm and clear-headed, “We are what we seem to be. We are doctors and, nurses and hospital staff engaged in healing the suffering and sick in the name of Jesus Christ. We are here for no other reason.”

“Bill Wallace was a Jesus-intoxicated man” (Daniel Akin). As people visited him, he encouraged them, “Go back and take care of the hospital. I am ready to give my life if necessary.”

In less than two months, Wallace was in the presence of the Father. His earthly grave was left unmarked. But those who loved and respected him placed a marker at the site which read, “For me to live is Christ (Philippians 1:21).”

Paul’s words reflect his deep devotion, enabling him to face trials, mistreatment, beatings, danger, and martyrdom. He was enabled by the Holy Spirit and the continual prayers of the children of the King (Philippians 1:19).

REFLECT & PRAY

“Paul did not want to do great things for God; He wanted God to do great things in and through him. His goal was to serve as the hands and feet and mouth of Christ, doing in Christ’s power what Christ would do” (Stanley).

Father I want to be intoxicated with the Lord Jesus Christ. I desire to be deeply filled with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. By my life and words, I want to seem to be what You dream for me to be.

INSIGHT

Paul’s apprehension appears paradoxical, even incongruent, given his deep commitment, selfless service, and notable achievements. “Paul did not want to feel ashamed when he stood before the Lord at His judgment seat” (Constable).

Philippians 1:20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.

In Greek, “apokaradokia” means earnest expectation or intense longing. Apokaradokia is “made up of three words, ‘away, the head, to watch.’ It describes a person with head erect and outstretched, whose attention is turned away from all other objects and riveted upon just one . . .. It is that concentrated, intense hope which ignores other interests and strains forward as with outstretched head, that was Paul’s attitude of heart” (Wuest).

This word suggests a fervently held expectation and hope with a strong belief in its fulfillment (Romans 8:19). Paul’s passionate hope is a confident expectation that he will be ashamed of nothing.

In making this declaration, Paul embodies the universal experience of every believer. He confronts the same persistent self-doubt that we all face. As we grow closer to understanding and experiencing the holiness, righteousness, purity, beauty, and sheer magnificence of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, we begin to feel as though we are moral and spiritual paupers in comparison.

Paul was a super apostle because of the Father’s grace and favor and the power of the Holy Spirit working through him. Consequently, he worked harder than any of the other apostles.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me – and Not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

But rather than seeing himself as a great saint, Paul saw himself as a great sinner – the greatest of all sinners.

1 Timothy 1:15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them all.

But he had absolutely no fear of dying. For children of the King, death is not the end but the beginning of our time with our Father. We simply go home to the Father’s house, which He has prepared for us (John 14:6). We depart to be with the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:23).

This is precisely what the Lord Jesus Christ told the believing thief, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Paul is torn. He is ambivalent and in anguish about whether to stay or go. Of course, the choice is not his but the Father’s alone.

Philippians 1:21-24

 21 For to me, living means living for Christ and dying is even better.

 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.

 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

Is what we claim to be what we seem to be?

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© Dr. H 2024

Never before or since was there a king like Josiah

Never before or since was there a king like Josiah

Read [the book of the Law] in the presence of the king. – 2 Kings 22:10

2 Kings 22:11-19

 11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.

 12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest . . .

 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me and the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

 18 Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Regarding the words which you [Josiah] have heard,

 19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD.

2 Kings 23:2-25

 2 King Josiah went up to the Temple of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the prophets – all the people from the least to the greatest. There, the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the LORD’s Temple.

 3 The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the LORD’s presence. He pledged to obey the LORD by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. . . all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

Losing things can be a significant challenge and a source of frustration for many people. Misplacing items such as cell phones, keys, or wallets is all too common. This theme is also present in the 1992 film “Medicine Man,” where Sean Connery plays Dr. Robert Campbell, a scientist who discovers a potential cure for cancer in the Amazon jungle. However, he misplaces his discovery,  making him despairingly exclaim, “I found a cure for the plague of the 20th century, and now I’ve lost it!”

What could be more devastating than losing the potential to cure cancer? The gravity of loss depends on an individual’s value system and what they hold dear. Take a moment to consider what you value most in the world and what your most treasured possession is.

For those who value their faith and walk closely with the Father, the loss of their Bible, hallowed by decades of prayer and diligent meditation, would be felt deeply. It represents countless hours spent in His presence.

Can you imagine what it would be like not to have access to the Word of God? In an era where Bibles are readily available and accessible in print and online, it is hard to imagine such a scenario. During the Dark Ages of Judah, when corrupt and evil kings were in power, many valuable artifacts were either lost, misplaced, or destroyed. Among these losses was the disappearance of scrolls of Scripture. When they went missing, that was the most tragic loss of all.

Possibly, one of the evil kings, such as Manasseh or Amon, tried to destroy all copies of God’s law. Perhaps some were hidden for safekeeping, like the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Through a marvelous turn of events, the veil of spiritual darkness and obscurity was lifted. What was once lost had finally been rediscovered. With Josiah’s ascent to the throne, a new chapter in the history of Israel began. During his reign, a priest unearthed the long-lost scrolls of Scripture hidden within the temple grounds. These were no ordinary texts; they were The Law of Moses, foundational of their Jewish culture and faith.

The moment these scriptures were recited before Josiah, the atmosphere transformed. For Josiah, it was as if he was hearing the voice of God for the first time. Imagine his astonishment, his overflowing joy. Apparently, Josiah had never heard or read the word of God before. Can you imagine? His remorse became tears, tears of joyful sorrow. Joyful sorrow is a remarkable emotion that tender hearts often experience when they are deeply moved by the power and beauty of the living Word of God.

But his heart was soon pierced, and he was overwhelmed by grief. His joyful sorrow quickly turned to shame and remorse over the Nation’s rebellion and defiance of the Father.

Josiah humbled himself before the Lord. This marked the beginning of a significant religious reformation in Judah during the 7th century BC, steering the nation back towards faithfulness and devotion.

REFLECT & PRAY

2 Kings 23:25 Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since

Father thank You for providing the capacity to experience loyal love and devotion. Inspire my heart and mind to love You with all that I am, wholly and unreservedly.

INSIGHT

2 Kings 23:25 Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.

Despite several generations of idolatry and rebellion against the Father, somehow, Josiah arose as a righteous king. Josiah was a remarkable and unique man. He had cultivated a delightful, personal love relationship with the Father.

He turned to the Father wholeheartedly without reservation. He was “all in” with no reserves held back. Whatever Moses laid out in the law, Josiah was wholly committed to living it out. He was determined to be the poster boy for the Father’s call to faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 6:5 You must love the LORD your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.

What steps can we take to emulate Josiah’s example? The formula is straightforward, combining two key elements:  a soft heart and getting into the word of God. What worked for Josiah will work for any child of the King. The decision is yours.

Committing to a relationship with the Father involves more than casual or halfhearted love. It necessitates passionate, whole-hearted, and focused love.

Why? It is all part of His intelligent design. The Father is not needy nor lonesome. He wants only the best for His children. He created us so that to experience His best, we must give our best. The ability to do and give our best is already built in. It is our choice to activate and maintain it. It begins with an open, receptive disposition.

This principle is illustrated in the training of military dogs, notably through their innate and cultivated loyalty to their handlers. Such devotion comes naturally to these animals, as their pack instincts predispose them to follow their leader earnestly. Their loyalty manifests through vigilant attention, affection, obedience, and courage.

The Father designed all of His children with a similar nature. It merely needs to be nurtured and developed. We can be lovingly devoted to a leader. The Father is the undeniable leader of His pack. Beginning with a tender heart and exposure to His word, loyal love (hesed) is the natural outcome. We have only to hear, obey, and humble ourselves.

The Hebrew language provides rich insights into love in action. “Lev” refers to the heart, symbolizing the center of emotions, thoughts, and intentions. “Nefesh” represents the soul or being, encompassing emotions, desires, passion, and life itself.

The Hebrew term “meod” translates to might or strength. It signifies something strong or mighty when it is a noun. It more commonly serves as an adverb, meaning completely, totally, exceedingly, or wholeheartedly. In contemporary Hebrew, “meod” means very, so “tov meod” is translated as “very good.”

Every child of the King can experience deep, overflowing love for the Father. It begins with a tender, open heart, humility,  and regular, frequent time in the Scriptures. The loyal love for the Father is not only good; it is very good, tov meod (cf . Genesis 1:31).

Never before was a king like Josiah, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, soul, and strength.

“The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man” (Dwight L. Moody)

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© Dr. H 2024

Remaining calm in life’s storms

Remaining calm in life’s storms

You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you calm them. – Psalms 89:9

Mark 6:41-52

 41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share.

 44 A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves!

 45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home.

 46 After telling everyone goodbye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

 47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land.

 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them,

 49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost.

 50 They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!”

 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,

 52 for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

“It was Christmas Eve, 1875, and Ira Sankey was traveling by steamboat up the Delaware River. It was a beautiful, starlit evening, and many passengers were on deck who encouraged the famous evangelist to sing.” “Sankey, who was leaning against one of the steamship’s great funnels gazing at the stars in silent prayer, consented, intending to sing a Christmas song, but felt compelled to sing William Bradbury’s ‘Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us.’”

“There was a deep stillness as his baritone floated across the quiet river that Christmas Eve. When he had finished, a man stepped from the shadows and said: ‘Did you ever serve in the Union Army?’”

“‘Yes,’ Mr. Sankey answered, ‘in the spring of 1860.’

‘Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?’

‘Yes,’ Mr. Sankey answered, very much surprised.”

“‘So did I, but I was serving in the Confederate Army. When I saw you standing at your post, I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling upon you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, you raised your eyes to heaven and began to sing. ‘Let him sing his song to the end,’ I said to myself. ‘I can shoot him afterwards . . ..’”

“‘But the song you sang then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly: ‘We are Thine, do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way.’

‘Those words stirred up many memories. I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother. She had many times sung that song to me . . ..’”

‘‘When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim again. I thought, ‘The Lord who can save that man from certain death must surely be great and mighty.’ And my arm of its own accord dropped limp at my side.’”

“Oblivious to any danger, Ira Sankey was spared certain death. A coincidence? Hardly! It was God’s sovereign power which arranged for him to sing that particular song on that night, the exact familiar strain to evoke tender memories in his would-be slayer and stay his hand (Hughes).”

The Father is ceaselessly active, wielding His sovereignty to fulfill His divine plans. His extraordinary ability to protect and provide brings solace to those who are children of the King. Yet, within the Gospel narratives, it is clear that the disciples were obtuse and often struggled to grasp this. Despite witnessing the works of the Lord Jesus Christ firsthand, their understanding fell short; their perception was dulled. They were slow to catch on. They did not internalize the implications of His words and actions. They heard life-changing truths, but they had little impact. It made little or no imprint on their consciousness.

The miracle of feeding 5,000 people demonstrated the Lord Jesus Christ’s power over nature, but the disciples didn’t get it. This event is closely followed by the account of the Lord Jesus Christ walking on water. “Walking on the sea is not something Jesus did just to amaze the disciples, but rather it is a powerful, visible demonstration of Jesus’ sovereignty over the world that he created” (ESV Notes).

It’s crucial for every child of the King to recognize, appreciate, believe, and implement the truths revealed by Him. In the midst of life’s tumultuous storms, the Lord Jesus Christ offers His peace and confidence.

REFLECT & PRAY

“Jesus promised his disciples three things: ‘they would be entirely fearless, absurdly happy, and that they would get into trouble’” (W. Russell Maltby).

Father I long to grasp and apply the profound life lessons of the Scriptures. Remove the dullness from my heart, enabling me to understand and absorb Your life-changing truths.

INSIGHT

Mark 6:45-46

 47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land.

 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

The Sea of Galilee was infamous for its abrupt and violent storms. “The water is 600 feet below sea level, and the land to the east is considerably higher. As warm air rises from the lake, it creates a vacuum that the air on the west rushes in to fill. This brings strong winds down on the lake with little warning” (Constable).

Even seasoned fishermen like Peter and his fellow disciples, accustomed to Galilee’s temperamental nature, were overwhelmed by the intensity of one such storm. Yet the ferocity of the squall was so severe that they were terrified and feared for their lives. Matthew employs the Greek word seismos, which is commonly associated with earthquakes. “The Greek word is used for a furious storm or hurricane. It never refers to a single gust, nor a steadily blowing wind, however violent, but to a storm breaking forth from black thunderclouds in furious gusts, with floods of rain, and throwing everything topsy-turvy” (Wuest).

Hughes vividly captures the scene: “It was as though the lake was being shaken. On port and starboard great dark mountains of water rose and washed over the boat. At any moment they would be swamped to a watery grave” (Hughes).

However, the storm ceased with the arrival of Jesus Christ. His walking on water served as a powerful object lesson of His dominion over His creation.

The question arises: Why were the disciples gripped by fear? Despite witnessing the miracle of feeding 5,000 people, they hadn’t absorbed the deeper lesson. They failed to learn because their faith was weak. Their hearts were insensitive and tragically unreceptive. Their understanding was shallow, and their faith was defective. They had not gained insight from the words and deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 6:51-52

 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,

 52 for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

The disciples had heard Jesus’ words and seen His wonder-working power but they failed to get the underlying message. The multiplying of the loaves revealed the Lord Jesus Christ’s true identity as God, but the disciples did not gain this deeper insight from the miracle.

The essence of faith is trust, seeing the unseen (Hebrews 11:1). Faith and trust are not placed in an idea but in a person. To trust a person, you must know who they are and what they are capable of. Knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord is necessary to truly trust HimHe has complete authority over all creation.

This story provides insight into faith. Faith is like a muscle that is to be built up and strengthened over time by repeated use. The children of the King are responsible for actively engaging in learning and strengthening their faith. This is precisely where the disciples failed.

Faith and fear are mutually exclusive. They cannot coexist.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 2-09-2

© Dr. H 2024