The death of John the Baptist is a sad and sick event. I sometimes think of John sitting there in the prison preaching to King Herod, and Herod hating every word of it, yet in awe. And then I think of Herod’s party where his daughter/niece danced for him. This young lady was there as the entertainment, but ends us through her mother’s influence and her step-father/uncle’s lecherous promise being the one to pronounce the death sentence on John.
I wonder what that choice did to that girl.
Whatever it did to her, we know it became the backdrop for an important event in Jesus’ ministry: The Feeding of the Five Thousand. We can be sure that it was at least partly grief that drove Jesus and the disciples to get away by themselves. The disciples were coming back from their first missionary trip, too, on which they cast out demons and healed many sick. There’s enough emotion here that you’d think they wouldn’t be able to move! But when Jesus sees the crowd assembled there he has compassion on them.
At that moment Jesus had every right to say, “Hey, guys, it’s good to see you, but not right now okay. We’re tired. We haven’t had anything to eat even! Can you come back tomorrow?” But he has compassion.
I wish that I had that kind of love and focus. When I’m exhausted, spent, or worn out, my compassion slips away. It’s almost like tunnel vision, all I can see is me, my trouble, my pain, and I fail to extend compassion to others.
Truth be told, I’m like those sheep without a shepherd. Thank God that His compassion is limitless, and that it comes to us when we need it! Jesus tends to us, and feeds us – miraculously and abundantly.
There are words that I really appreciate in vv. 51-52. It says that the disciples were utterly astounded, that they didn’t understand about the loves, and that their hearts were hardened. In other words, they didn’t get it, and these were the guys Jesus chose to walk with Him! They were confused and scared by what they had just seen, but they trusted in the One who did it. They trusted in Jesus.
At the end of the day, that’s all we can do – Trust in Him.
I wonder what that choice did to that girl.
Whatever it did to her, we know it became the backdrop for an important event in Jesus’ ministry: The Feeding of the Five Thousand. We can be sure that it was at least partly grief that drove Jesus and the disciples to get away by themselves. The disciples were coming back from their first missionary trip, too, on which they cast out demons and healed many sick. There’s enough emotion here that you’d think they wouldn’t be able to move! But when Jesus sees the crowd assembled there he has compassion on them.
At that moment Jesus had every right to say, “Hey, guys, it’s good to see you, but not right now okay. We’re tired. We haven’t had anything to eat even! Can you come back tomorrow?” But he has compassion.
I wish that I had that kind of love and focus. When I’m exhausted, spent, or worn out, my compassion slips away. It’s almost like tunnel vision, all I can see is me, my trouble, my pain, and I fail to extend compassion to others.
Truth be told, I’m like those sheep without a shepherd. Thank God that His compassion is limitless, and that it comes to us when we need it! Jesus tends to us, and feeds us – miraculously and abundantly.
There are words that I really appreciate in vv. 51-52. It says that the disciples were utterly astounded, that they didn’t understand about the loves, and that their hearts were hardened. In other words, they didn’t get it, and these were the guys Jesus chose to walk with Him! They were confused and scared by what they had just seen, but they trusted in the One who did it. They trusted in Jesus.
At the end of the day, that’s all we can do – Trust in Him.
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