Oops! I forgot to eat!

Sunday 3-1-15 (Ontario, CA) 

Scripture reading:       Num 28-29         Mark 8

S.  Mark 8:17-21 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said, "Why are you so worried about having no food? Won't you ever learn or understand? Are your hearts too hard to take it in?  'You have eyes — can't you see? You have ears — can't you hear?' Don't you remember anything at all?  What about the five thousand men I fed with five loaves of bread? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?" "Twelve," they said. "And when I fed the four thousand with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?" "Seven," they said. "Don't you understand even yet?" he asked them.  NLT

O.  The disciples were starting to get hungry and… here they were crossing the lake and had forgotten to stop by McDonalds for some takeout.  So Jesus gives them a little math lesson.  How many loaves and fishes?  How many people?  How many baskets of leftovers?  5 + 2 + Jesus’ blessing = 5000 + 12 and… 7 + x (little fishes) + Jesus = 4000 + 7.  Boys, are you still worried about lunch?

A.  I had a friend that always was concerned about eating.  He was a great brother in the Lord and we traveled together a lot.  When we started out right after a big breakfast, he was already planning where we would eat lunch and dinner.  I, on the other hand, without his input would forget to eat until after 3 PM when I was wondering why my stomach was grumbling.  I still forget to eat when I am busy doing something. 

Well, I got straight “A”s in math in high school, but I have a little trouble with Jesus’ kind of math.  I still count the loaves and the dollars and too often forget that I can ask Him to bless it and then give it away to feed other hungry souls and… after lunch… wonder where the 12 baskets full came from.

P.  Thanks, dear Lord, for being my generous provider.  If I ever go without a nice healthy dinner… and yes, You know that it happens too often… it is never because You failed to multiply the bread and fishes.  It just because I got so busy… and suddenly remember… “Oops! I forgot to eat.!”  Amen.

Ralph