I can remember raising our children to sit at the table until they are dismissed. When they finished, they would say, “Thank you for the meal, may I be excused?” Sometimes it would look like they did not eat very much; however, with two boys, that was not often. When this happened, I would ask, “Are you full?” The reply was always “Yes, ma’am.” One thing I learned from my mother and grandmother was how to prepare a meal that would fill up my family’s bellies. There was always something to eat in the refrigerator. If you have any love at all for your family, you do not want them going away hungry.
We find a scene in Mark chapter 8 where Jesus was concerned for those who had been following Him. The number was great. There were 4000 men, plus women and children. They had been with Him for three days and nights, and food was in short supply. Whatever they brought from home was gone. Jesus was concerned that if they left him to go home, their fasting would cause them to be so weak that they would faint on the way. His great compassion caused Him to ask His disciples what they had left. They replied they had 7 loaves of bread and some dried fish. Jesus blesses the bread and fish and multiplies them so that all have plenty to fill their bellies. After all were full, Jesus sent them away. Headed for home on a full stomach would allow them to be grateful and get home before they were famished for food again. I can only imagine the conversations and joy expressed as they traveled. It almost makes me jealous that I did not live in that time.
Mark 8:1 “In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes, and he blessed and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.”
Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat heading to the coast on the Sea of Galilee, to an area where Dalmanutha was located. Some say it was near Magdala, where Mary Magdalene was from. He finished teaching this crowd but did not leave them until their needs were met.
Mark 8:10 “And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.”
What can we take from this narrative? First, Jesus never fails to meet the needs of those who faithfully follow Him. Second, He had compassion on them. Many were hungry, and that touched the heart of Jesus. They had stayed with Him even when they realized their supply was running low. They put being with Him above their personal needs. Third, there was more than enough food for them to have all they wanted, with food left over. We need to remember that we cannot deplete His supply of anything. As long as we want to sit at His table, we will be fed. Our souls will be full of as much of Him as we desire. His grace, mercy, love, and wisdom are unlimited. We have just as much of Jesus as we want.
Are you full of His grace? Do you shower His grace on others, showing them undeserved favor?. What about mercy, do you choose to give others what they do not deserve? Are you full of forgiveness, especially when people do you wrong and they do not ask for it? Do you love those who do not love you, or do you treat them the way they treat you? Are you full enough of the attributes of God, who extends them to us liberally, that you are able to extend those to others? Being full of the right things allows us to show a lost world who Jesus is. This is not something we can work up, but something the spirit does within us as we yield ourselves to God completely. When we come to him empty of self, there is room for Him to fill us until we overflow.
