Matthew 14:22

“Jesus made the disciples get into the boat.”

I need to ponder the ways of God implied in these sentences, full are they with unexplained mystery – divine mystery.

The disciples had just participated in one of the most remarkable, miraculous events ever seen, the feeding of more than five thousand people. I can imagine their surprise as they broke off pieces of bread and fish, time after time, one hungry person to the next, yet, amazingly, the amount of bread and fish they had in their hands remained undiminished. Peter, a fisherman, must have been astounded but no more than Matthew whose bread and fish remained the same as he kept breaking off piece after piece. What is going on here? Ultimately they turned to see Jesus who was no doubt standing, praying, while everyone, in turn received his or her divinely given portion.

Had the disciples thought for a moment they would have gasped at what they were part of. Jesus, mercy days, was  using them to bless others! They were “in” the display of God’s love and power. Could not Jesus have simply commanded that all be filled? Certainly. But the disciples needed to get used to the fact that there caught up in the promised labor of love to bring men and women to God. Every disciple became a feeder of life-giving bread that also sustained them.

They cleaned up the place – gathering 22 basket fulls that fell uneaten. They had enough for each disciple to get a basket full for himself.

As I ministered the Word of God around the world I was in the position of the disciples – amazingly caught up in the feeding the hungry while receiving more that I ever had – basket fulls beyond number.

Night was falling, no time to “digest” what was happening.  Jesus ordered them to get into the boats and make their way in the dark night to the other side.  Life with Jesus sometimes calls for “blind” obedience.  So it is.