As the disciples were coming back from a very challenging and stressful mission trip, they were probably anxious to get home, so to speak. They were probably hungry, tired, and exhausted. They were probably physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. It is within this context of exhaustion that the Gospel of Mark tells us the story of the disciples reaching a seemingly impossible challenge. Mark 6: 30 – 44.
Exhaustion! When we face one challenge after another, we feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. When we feel exhausted, we become extremely vulnerable. The disciples were exhausted and vulnerable after facing one challenge after another during their mission trip. They were so looking forward to their vacation time (time off) just to find out that the challenges were not over just yet. Worst of all, the new challenge they had to face hit home, so speak. They were exhausted and hungry. Yet, they were asked to feed a crowd of more than five thousand people.
The disciples were hungry and exhausted and were asked to feed others. Their level of exhaustion led them to reach what we call impossible. In other words, the same disciples who felt empowered to face the impossible tasks of driving out demons and healing the sick now were rationalizing how impossible it would be to feed a crowd. So much so that they sarcastically responded to Jesus saying,
“’With what?’ they asked. ‘We’d have to work for months to earn money to buy food for all these people” (v. 37).
When we find ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted, we become extremely vulnerable. When we become vulnerable, we reach the impossible. When we reach the impossible, our tendency is to rationalize and to rely on the impossibility of the situation.
The story says that while the disciples were rationalizing how ridiculously impossible the situation was, Jesus asked a strange question, to say the least,
“’How much bread do you have?’ Jesus asked. ‘Go and find out’ They came back and reported, ‘We have five loaves of bread and two fish’”(v. 38).
Jesus wanted to present (teach) them (us) a different perspective when we feel exhausted, feel that we have more than enough on our plate, and seem to be facing a seemingly impossible situation. The Gospel of Mark says,
“Jesus took five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them…they all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves!” (Mark 6:41;42 – 44).
Exhaustion! He…looked up toward heaven. If we read this text in its original language (Greek), we will notice that the words looked up can be translated as regained sight, became able to see. More importantly, the word heaven is not simply a geographical location. It is not simply a description about Jesus looking up instead of down. But the word heaven is intentionally used as a substitute for the word God. Actually, whenever Jewish theologians (scholars) wanted to avoid using the sacred name of God, they used this word Mark uses for heaven.
As simplistic as it might sound, when Jesus looked up to heaven, he was not trying to show off. When Mark describes Jesus looking up to heaven, it was not a simple description of what was going on. Instead, when Mark describes Jesus looking up to heaven, perhaps, Jesus was teaching one of the most powerful lessons about miracles. As simplistic as it might sound, perhaps, Jesus was teaching that, in moments when we feel we have faced one challenge after another and feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted, we must look up to heaven. We must not rationalize and rely on the impossibility of the situation. When we feel exhausted we must not rely on what we can do and on our limited resources but we must look up to heaven (God). Because it is from the God of heaven that strength and renewal is found for those who feel weary and tired (Isaiah 40:31). As simplistic as it might sound, Jesus looked up to heaven because the God of Heaven does not abide by our limited and seemingly impossible circumstances. In Him, there is always abundance. So much so that they all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish (vv. 42,43).
