Do it Yourself

Do it Yourself

[Jesus] answered, “You give them something to eat” (V.37).

Mark 6:30-44

Reading

You give them something to eat” (MARK 6:37). It’s easy to miss those words from Jesus. A huge crowd had gathered to hear Him. As the day got later, His friends started trying to get Him to send them away to “buy themselves something to eat” (V.36). “You give them something to eat,” Jesus replied (V.37).

Why would He say that? John 6:6 says He was testing them. Did He want to see if they would trust Him to do a miracle? Maybe, but it seems more likely He wanted His friends to get involved in caring for the crowd, to be hands-on in working with and for Him. He then took what they brought to Him—five loaves of bread and two fish—and fed everyone, with “twelve basketfuls” of leftovers (MARK 6:43).

I think Jesus uses those words with us too. Maybe we see a friend who’s struggling or a problem that needs fixing and we talk to God about it—“You do something,” He says. “But I don’t have enough time or energy,” we might say. We’re wrong, of course. When Jesus asks us to get involved, He already knows how He will do His work through us.

What we need is to trust Him and to see things as He does. He is the one with the power and strength to change situations and rescue people. He asks us to work with Him, knowing that His work depends on Him. He will give us what we need to do it.

To Pray about

Father, please help me to be aware of the people around me looking for love and care. Help me to trust that You will give me what I need to support them.

WHEN GOD SAYS DO IT, HE’S ALREADY PLANNED OUT HOW WE’RE GOING TO GET IT DONE.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries