Jesus quietly spoke to the large assembly of the 5000 folks who had come to see the astonishing and apparent prophet, the amazing and authoritative teacher, the miraculous healer of the most malevolent of maladies …the possible “Messiah”. He sought to bring to them the message of the provision and absolute reliability of His provision by God Himself. …But they didn’t get it, not even His Disciples.
Good food, fish and bread, and a good sermon, what an afternoon. Good golly, even uncle Mordecai had his arthritis healed, what an afternoon. Twelve baskets of scraps, enough to feed us for a week. But they still didn’t get it, not even His Disciples. The storm, then the calm delivered the “bell-ringer”…they began to get it …the Lord of all.
Handing out the miraculous is not difficult for the Lord, it’s a snap. From carbuncles to cancer there’s no delay required; demons disperse, lame leap, and the dumb declare. …Ah but what about you? Do you get it?
What a blessing to have the modern wisdom of 1549, Thomas Cranmer et.al ; wisdom beams out of the Lectionary readings to make it so that we may “get it”. What is it that you don’t get? A tiny life resides within you, what has happened. What a shock, your life is about to change…radically. Where can you go in such dire straits? Upon whom or upon what can you rely? What tiny shred of supernatural testimony or evidence can you grasp to remain faithful with an answer…for you alone?
The answer is not in modern jingoes, not in Dr. Laura’s counsel, or in Planned Parenthood publications. It’s not even in the counsel of well-wishers, resounding platitudes, or pronouncements of political pundits. It’s in the pages of this fine lesson. The Words of the Word of God come directly to you if you’ll try to “get it”. It’s in the “storm”…
God has always been into profound pronouncements of testimony to His care and love for you and His people. He has established a testimony for you. Let enemies beware, let provision abound, even as the folks alone and ungrateful in the “wilderness” blew it, as you may have. Don’t miss it, don’t blow it…get it.
Nehemiah says that the chosen of God in the wilderness couldn’t shake God’s love any more than you can. They were fearful, they were trespassers. Still, God intended them good and not evil. He had a plan for them as He does you…try to get it, it’s there.