One of the amazing stories in the Bible and one of my favorite as a kid was the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. And that’s just the men – not including women and children. It’s amazing what Jesus does. Luke in comparison to some other accounts sets it up by helping us understand the apostles were returning after ministering in many towns and villages and were away in private place “recuperating.”
This is a good reminder to us that always being “on” and ministering without taking a break isn’t wise or like Jesus! At the same time, the crowd did find them and Jesus welcomed them. He didn’t become bitter with the demands on his time and energy.
When his disciples reminded him of the time and the crowds’ need for food, he uses the opportunity to teach the disciples a lesson about ministry – God always gives you the resources to care for people, esp. their spiritual needs, because ultimately it’s about giving them Jesus. This is why Jesus asks them the question: “who do you say I am?” Jesus is the satisfaction of our souls.
And yet we have to realize that being satisfied with Jesus means being satisfied with a cross in this life. We aren’t going to have life easy because being satisfied with life now isn’t what Jesus is preaching–he’s preaching being satisfied with the coming kingdom.
What satisfies me? I need to be satisfied with knowing and pleasing Jesus. It won’t matter as much to me what happens to my house and family as much as following Christ – though following Christ means providing for my family for me personally. But the satisfaction should come-not from my possessions and comforts- but from knowing Jesus. This week I am putting that into practice by seeking to use my interruptions to be satisfied in Christ. What can you use to be satisfied in Jesus?
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