Meeting our needs

Mark 6 : 34 - 44

They all ate and were satisfied

Nothing can fully satisfy the desires of the human heart, except God alone. This is one of the profound thoughts that came through the book "Journey of Desire" I have been reading over the past six months. Of all the miracles Jesus did, this feeding miracle is the only one which is mentioned in all the four gospels. Jesus was sensitive to the people's need for the word of life and also for physical nourishment.

Sometimes, people are invited to an evangelistic program without first determining what they need. We feed them what we think they should have and then wonder why the response is poor. The people here had already had a taste of who Jesus was, they had no doubt heard about or witnessed some of his miracles, they had seen him teach and they had perhaps caught a glimpse of their lostness. They were like sheep without a shepherd. This, in the world of sheep farming meant danger. Sheep without a shepherd are terribly lost and fearful. But in their need, they respond readily to those who come to their aid.

In the spiritual life, it is never 'wrong' or 'bad' to be in a needy place, if we are willing to admit it. We enjoy food most graciously when we are truly hungry. In fact for people who live otherwise comfortable lives, there are times when being in lack is the only way when God can get our full attention. That may be the best time...when we are sufficiently emptied out of our own resources and hungry to receive God's word willingly and gratefully.