Short Sighted

This morning I read Mark 8-- Jesus feeds four thousand people on seven loaves of bread. There are a few things about this story that strike me as particularly stunning about Jesus.

1) Jesus knows our needs and has compassion on his people-
After three days of teaching and sharing his life with people, he realizes the people must be hungry. He is filled with compassion and decides to feed them.

2) Jesus takes a little and makes a lot-
Jesus asks the disciples how many loaves of bread there are and they respond with, "seven". No doubt they are thinking, "lets get out of here with our seven loaves". But Jesus takes the seven loaves and begins to distribute. Oh wait! There's a few fish too! By the time all the food is distributed, there are left overs in the basket. Hello! Jesus takes a little and makes a lot!

3) Jesus knows his people are short-sighted, but he loves us anyway--
Further along in Mark 8, the disciples have a quivel over having only one loaf of bread. Jesus interrupts and says "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are you hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketful pieces did you pick up?"

Earlier, in Mark 6, Jesus had fed five thousand with five loaves. He did it again in Mark 8--- we are a short sighted people. When Jesus confronts the disciples about their trust and their short sightedness, he asks questions relating to understanding, condition of the heart, sight, hearing, and remembering His goodness. I want to seek those things and remember we serve an attentive, compassionate, faithful and trustworthy God. He knows and has the sight to see what we often fall short in seeing.