Refuel

Mark 6:45-46 “Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.”

In Mark chapter 6, we read that Jesus could do no mighty works in Nazareth because the people were offended at Him; He got news that His cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded. How did He respond?

Verse 31 (Jesus speaking) “’Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile.’” For there were many coming and going and they did not even have time to eat.” Jesus and His disciples were tired and hungry. They tried to get away to ‘refuel’ and be refreshed. But the multitudes saw them and followed. So Jesus, “moved with compassion, began to teach them many things” and then He also fed them with 5 loaves and 2 fish”, with leftovers of 12 baskets of fish.

We see in this story that our Lord and Friend is interested in our bodies as well as our souls. We also see the example of Jesus refueling through prayer, spending time with His Father. We need to spend time with Holy Spirit who alone can fill our sails.

When we take time to refuel ourselves through prayer, we will find the confidence of our identity in Christ. Our Lord and Friend shows us this in Mark 6:49-52. Jesus is about to pass the disciples by, but they start screaming at the sight of a man walking on the water. Jesus tells them “Take courage. I AM. Don’t be afraid”. The time He has spent with His Father has left Him in no doubt over His identity.

Mark 6:56b “And as many as touched Him were made well.” Could it be that as we refuel regularly in prayer, there will be no limit to what the Holy Spirit will do through our ordinary lives?

Shalom.

Kath