HE KNOWS by Oleabhiele Promise

HE KNOWS

John 6:1-13

       The people had probably packed lunches, but not their dinner. I doubt that any of them had thought they would stay so long. They must have just wanted to linger in his presence, to stay close to Him. As evening drew near, their physical need for something to eat became obvious. There was no dire emergency. No one had fainted from hunger. Perhaps a fussy child, or a crying baby, or a complaining teenager raised a voice here and there. There may have been some elderly people who would have trouble getting home if they didn’t have an evening meal to strengthen them for the journey. But everyone would have survived going without one meal. Besides, it was really their fault. They hadn’t been invited, and when they had barged in on someone else’s vacation, they had overstayed without planning ahead. But Jesus cared.

       Did you think Jesus only cares about things like heaven and hell? About forgiveness and sin? About holiness and wickedness? About truth and lies?  About salvation and judgement? Jesus does care about those things. But He also cares about your children’s college tuition, about your academic performance, about your budget now that you are unexpectedly pregnant, about the roof that leaks, about the cranky transmission in the car, and about all the other physical problems and needs we face.

      Jesus cares even if the physical problem we face is largely of our own making. He cares if we are having trouble, even if it was caused by our not having taken the time to change the oil regularly. He cares if we are having financial struggles, even if they were caused by our having run up massive debts on our charge accounts for things we wanted but did not necessarily need. Jesus cares about your physical needs today, just as he cared for those in the crowd long time ago.

The people, who had tagged along, interrupting Jesus retreat, were people who first sought to be with Jesus Himself. They had a physical need because they had spent time with him. And He had promised if they would “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness… All these things will be given to [them] as well”.

      What are your physical needs? What are the physical needs of those around you in your home, in your neighborhood, in your church, in the hospitals, in the rest homes, in the prisons, in the housing projects?

What would it take to meet those needs: - JESUS