The “Good Book” is really a good book, with characters and stories that evoke every emotion known to man and that day the main character had me amazed, amused and contemplative. It all happened in Act 1, Scene 1 of … sorry, I mean the new testament book of John, Chapter 6, from the New Living Translation. On that day as I read, the scenes and stories came alive and I was whisked away to a time and place long before my time. Trust me, Bridgerton has nothing on the Bible!😁
AMAZED
In the first scene, Jesus fed 5000+ people with five barley loaves and two fishes. I know it’s a common story about Jesus’ miracles but today I thought, what manner of amazing can a man be to break five loaves of bread and to continue breaking and sharing until all those people were fed. This is one of the accounts in the bible where I would love to question Jesus when I get to heaven, to tell me how he really did it. I just cannot fathom how five loaves of bread could feed all those people. I mean when the bible says what is impossible with man is possible with God, this is exactly what is meant. I also often visualise the red sea raising like a wall and people walking through on dry ground. In those imaginations, I see myself in that time, standing on the banks of the river, with my jaw to floor in astonishment, needing to be nudged on lest I be caught by the Eygptians. I was simply awed, because I wondered what is the modern-day equivalent of this kind of miracle? Restoring sight, healing the sick, raising the dead: I mean WOW, God truly is a powerhouse. I was humbled and happy to know that God was more than capable of executing a feat that my mind just could not logically piece together or rationalise. Science could never support bread multiplying in that manner and just like that I felt delighted that our God is just that big! 😉
AMUSED
In the second scene, the crowds were relentless, following Him wherever he went to find quiet. They were spectators of the mind-blowing signs and wonders and by that time, Jesus was a celebrity. The crowd got into boats and crossed over to Capernaum looking for him, even asking what today I think would sound like “Jesus why did you come this far, do you know how long we were looking for you”? So why was I amused, in response to that enquiry, Jesus told them (and I paraphrase) “Listen, the only reason you’re looking for me, is because I just fed you, not because you understood what you saw me doing”. Lol! What a rebuff, what an insult and yet, oh how true. I always thought that the crowds followed Jesus because they were in awe of Him and the miracles he performed. So, it was quite amusing that Jesus would call them out like that, exposing their true motive. I am so happy that our thoughts and motives are not on display for the world to see because many of us would be guilty of those same selfish motives. I was even more amused when I thought that sometimes this is exactly the way we treat each other, in that one person’s support of another may likely be driven by his/her own self-seeking desires. I am certain that many persons contend with this; very aware that not all those who are in awe or follow, are there to receive you or your message, but only to get what they desire. This is a reality that we cannot change and so in our interaction with others we must ask God for discernment to separate the sheep from the lions. Most importantly, since we cannot deceive God, when we come to Him, we must do so from a pure heart of wanting to know and love him. Now, because He is a good God, he may just still give you what you desire, despite your motive, but then you would be missing the best part of the package, which is a loving and unmatchable relationship with the Almighty God.
CONTEMPLATIVE
In the final scene, Christ admonished the hearers to place greater effort into what is eternal, rather than food, which is perishable; offering himself as the living bread which gives eternal life. Several times, Jesus said that He is the one in whom the followers should believe, because He came from God and gives life to the world, to all who believe in him. The followers did two things. Firstly, they asked for another miraculous sign. Can you believe it, after seeing five loaves of bread and two fishes feed more than 5000 people, they wanted to see another sign to believe! Doesn’t that remind you of the world today though. God created us, woke us up every morning, kept us in good health, provided, protected and elevated us and yet persons say, 'He is not real, we need to see more to believe'. Secondly, Jesus was not packaged as they thought He should be and so they could not believe His words. He was Joseph the carpenter’s son wasn’t he and therefore they just could not see past that fact. I ask myself though, if they indeed believed that he was only a carpenter’s son, didn’t they wonder all along how he did all those miracles. I mean I certainly would, unless, feeding an army with a boy’s lunch was a regular day in the life of the Israelites. The love of God is displayed to us in so many ways, but because things aren’t always packaged in a way that we understand, we doubt His presence or his provision. Repeatedly, Jesus said, ‘It is me, I am the living bread, I am who you were waiting on’ and many just could not believe.
I pray that your heart is so sensitive to the presence of God, that when he knocks, you open your heart and when his grace intervenes that you quickly recognise it and respond with gratitude.
Love Ya,
Krystal Baynes-Hoseinee
