“They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over; seven baskets full.” – Matthew 15:3
Hello, My Chickadees.
When I pick up the scriptures and read how Jesus “went about doing good,” I’m blown away by all He did and the way He did it. I am struck by the fact that after healing and curing thousands who came seeking deliverance from whatever bound them, He fed them spiritually with the Word of God so that their spirit man would be strengthened. Then, with a heart of compassion, He fed them physically so they would have strength for their journey back home. Those who were there to witness this event went on to tell us that they were ALL satisfied and had seven baskets of fish and bread left over.
The God that we serve is not only concerned about our souls, but He is concerned about our physical well-being, too. There were a few other things that got my attention about the aforementioned miraculous event. The first is that the people who were there came seeking something from Jesus. Whether it was healing or deliverance, or they were just curious about all the reports they heard about this man from Galilee who was not only a prophet, but also a healer, the Scripture carefully notes that they all left satisfied. So not only did they all eat, but they were all satisfied.The writer put a period at the end of that sentence. There were no exceptions or exclusions identified. They came expecting something and they were not disappointed.
The next thing that got my attention was that the people stayed there until they received what they were seeking. They came believing and were open to what this “believed to be Messiah” had to say. They heard that everywhere He went, He changed those He touched; or in the case of the woman with the issue of blood, touched Him. It spoke to me about not only seeking God’s deliverance and then giving up because it appears that nothing is happening. It reveals the importance of “being steadfast, unmovable, and always working enthusiastically for the Lord, because your labor is not in vain,” (1 Corinthians 15:58). “We shall reap a harvest in due season if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9), but the problem is that we can never be sure exactly when due season is due. Those who came to see Jesus came to the mountain and remained there until they were satisfied – physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
The last and most profound part of that message for me was the fact that God had more than enough left over. He took little and made much, effortlessly, and had seven (the divine number for perfection in the Jewish tradition) baskets left over. The scripture did not say that there were seven fish left over or seven pieces of bread left over; it said that there were seven baskets filled that were left over. This is a perfect demonstration of how God is able to supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory and that there is no lack in Him (Philippians 4:19, Psalms 34:9).
I remind myself of that scripture frequently when it’s time to pay bills and I am trying to make a quarter out of fifteen cents. Our God is concerned about our physical needs as well as our spiritual selves. He says that He will not only supply all our of needs, but He will give us the desires of our hearts. He is a God of more than enough, and He loves showering His children with blessings that are too numerous to count. Our part is to humbly come to Him and ask, believing that He will not deny us any good thing (Psalm 84:11, James 4:2-3).
Seeking something? Aren’t we all? Let’s take courage and go to the mountain seeking and believing that there is deliverance waiting there for us too, from a God who is more than enough.
Peace and Blessings, My Chickadees,
Gail