And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?”

Mark 8:4 ESV

If you have read Mark, more than one or two times, you’ll know that Jesus had already fed a crowd of five thousand men (who likely had women and children with them as well). Now, with a crowd of about 4,000 men, and their families, Jesus challenges His disciples once again. He had compassion on them. He does not want to send them away hungry. That is the background the reader has. Isn’t it beautiful to know that in our worries and stresses, the Lord our Savior has compassion on His people?! Compassion on the hungry crowd. Compassion on the disciples He is training so they will know how to act when He is seated on the throne of grace at the Father’s right hand.

For me the lesson is found in the disciples’ lack of memory. Jesus had already fed a huge crowd. The disciples knew Him capable. They had only to ask. Think of all the situations God into which God has placed you—places you’ve been before and you, dear fellow Christian, are short on memory. You worry. You panic. You ask questions.

From the passage today, take away these lessons. The Father has shown you Jesus, His greatest gift of salvation. Jesus has great compassion on you. He has given you the opportunity to learn to call on Him. It might be a lesson that has to have iterations before you truly grasp the invitation of Jesus. Call on Him. Trust Him. Know He is teaching you to trust Him more and more in every situation. It is rarely the case that our Father gives everything we need and then sends us. The usual way of things is that our Father teaches us we have every spiritual blessing through Jesus Christ and the same Spirit given to Jesus lives in you. Therefore, as you go out in obedience to the call of God, He will provide all you need.

Father in heaven hallowed be Your Name. Thank You for the lesson taught here, and the one summarized so simply in Jesus’ prayer “give us this day our daily bread”. Thank You for Your faithful providing all through our lives thus far. Thank You, Jesus, for the assurance You will provide. By Your Word and Spirit teach us to believe in You and to trust You more and more. Spirit of the Living God, we confess we do believe in Jesus, help us to overcome the patches of our unbelief so that our faith may be stronger and our prayer life ever more vital and rich. Amen.

https://youtu.be/yfAvANsCP1c?si=rkWdg3rzd87oIM4q Like a River Glorious