10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
In our verses for today, the good Shepherd fleshes out for His disciples then and for us to behold now, David’s words in Psalm 23:
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. Psalms 23:1-3 (NIV)
Jesus had had compassion for the masses following Him – they were weary and they were hungry and they were in need of restoration. Like rain on a parched land, Jesus knows better than anyone how to restore our spent spirits and weary bodies, does He not? There is, quite simply, no one or no “thing” to which we can compare Him. He is the Ultimate Restorer of our souls.
Immediately, He gives the orders to have the people sit down in the comfortable soft green grass. Our God is a God of order and not confusion. Chaos and confusion belong to Satan’s realm. From the stars in the sky, to the seasons in each year to the songbirds to the seas, God’s order permeates. I wonder if Satan likes to hold us in chaos and confusion in order to hinder us from thinking – to keep us from delving deeper into the ways of God. The distractions are rampant in our day and age. From the headphones blaring to the cell phones ringing, to the television blasting – there is rarely a time when silence and stillness prevail. Yet God calls His children to this treasure. It is then that we are able to intently hear His “still small voice”.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalms 46:10 (NIV)
I am reminded of the prophet Elijah who had had an extreme mountaintop experience for God then subsequently found himself fleeing, hotly pursued by Jezebel to take his life. Spent physically, emotionally and spiritually he heads for Horeb, the mountain of God. God sent an angel to strengthen him and he travels 40 days to meet with His Maker. Scripture gives us their dialog:
And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. 1 Kings 19:9-13 (NIV)
While God certainly can be in the wind and in the earthquake and in the fire, He thankfully most always lovingly speaks to His children through the gentle whisper of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Oftentimes, unfortunately, are busyness robs us of this intimacy and we are indeed the losers.
We must beware if our lives become too busy and distracted that we are unable to get off to a solitary place to meditate and pray – enjoying the company of our Creator. Even in Jesus’ time the early hour was the most conducive for this high privilege. We find in Mark the habit of our Savior:
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35 (NIV)
If this was our Savior’s custom, how much more should it be ours?
Lastly, we find Jesus giving thanks for the provision before the distribution. Thankfulness and praise precede the miraculous.
23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." Psalms 50:23 (NIV)
Interestingly, we find in the other three gospels the food was distributed by the hands of Christ to the hands of His disciples to the hands of the people. He still works that way. All of our comforts and provisions come to us originally from the hands of Jesus no matter who may distribute them - His distributions being as much as we want again fleshing out Psalm 23:
“My cup overflows.” Psalms 23:5 (NIV)