The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Mark 8:1-3,
"During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.'"
Jesus Christ had a public ministry that lasted about three years. The message he took to the Jews was to repent, that the kingdom of God was near and to believe the good news: "The time has come!" Mark 1:15. To authenticate his message he performed miracles, healed people, cast out demons, raised the dead, confounded the religious establishment and taught the people everywhere he went.
As we see in Mark's gospel account, Jesus pursued his purpose with passion. But as he carried it out his personality penetrated a dark world with the wonderful light of his kindness, mercy and compassion. In the above verse we see that his stated motivation for the feeding of the four thousand was born in his compassion for the physical needs of his followers. "I have compassion for these people." In an earlier account, 6:34 we read, "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."
In Exodus 34:6-7a, the Lord revealed himself to Moses by saying, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin."
As we see in the actions of Jesus in his ministry, the Lord is exactly as he revealed himself to Moses – and what a Lord he is!!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.'"
Jesus Christ had a public ministry that lasted about three years. The message he took to the Jews was to repent, that the kingdom of God was near and to believe the good news: "The time has come!" Mark 1:15. To authenticate his message he performed miracles, healed people, cast out demons, raised the dead, confounded the religious establishment and taught the people everywhere he went.
As we see in Mark's gospel account, Jesus pursued his purpose with passion. But as he carried it out his personality penetrated a dark world with the wonderful light of his kindness, mercy and compassion. In the above verse we see that his stated motivation for the feeding of the four thousand was born in his compassion for the physical needs of his followers. "I have compassion for these people." In an earlier account, 6:34 we read, "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."
In Exodus 34:6-7a, the Lord revealed himself to Moses by saying, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin."
As we see in the actions of Jesus in his ministry, the Lord is exactly as he revealed himself to Moses – and what a Lord he is!!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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