Welcome to the Grove!
Lord, Open our hearts to receive what You have for us in this teaching. Transform us God, by the renewing of our mind, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 says there is a time and season for everything. We see God’s order in the changing of the seasons, the dawn of each day and the precision of the star’s movements in the skies through the centuries. Seasons change but we know the sun will come up tomorrow. Psalm 37:23 shows us even the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. The opposite of order is chaos and we know by 1 Corinthians 14:33 that God is not the author of confusion but of peace.
Let’s look at an example of God’s order in Mark 6 and the feeding of the five thousand.
Here’s the setting: John the Baptist was just beheaded for his faith and the disciples collected his corpse and entombed it; they meet with Jesus and He invites them to a little R and R. They’d been so busy there was no time to eat so they hop on a boat to go to a deserted place but the crowds got to the deserted place before them. Jesus – being the nice guy He is – was moved with compassion and ministered until the day was far spent (v.34-35).
I wonder if the disciples were a little grumpy. Maybe they were thinking: Jesus, this was supposed to be our time with You! Enough is enough – send them away because everyone is hungry and there is no food.
Jesus’ response: You feed them (v.37)
Disciples: Whaaat, us? With Whaaat? We have no food!
Jesus: see what you can find (v. 38).
The disciples scrounge up 4 loaves and 2 fish: those are gonna be some itty, bitty pieces for 5000 people!
Check out verse 39: “then He commanded the disciples to make the crowd all sit down in groups on the green grass.” Not ‘a’ group but groups!
Put ’em in order guys – not doing the chaos thing!
Pause for a minute here and get a mental picture: no loudspeakers, no mic yet 12 guys have to organize 5000 people into groups of 50 and 100.
Do you think that the people did it willingly, without murmuring or complaining? Do you think there were some who walked away, who didn’t like the person sitting next to them? Or thought they should be in a different position, a little closer to the front maybe?
How do you think the disciples felt? This was supposed to be their quiet time with Jesus, but now they were having to deal with a bunch of hungry people (maybe a few hangry as well). Knowing myself, I probably would’ve had on my grumpy pants, just saying…
Jesus was about to do a big ole miracle. He’d healed and delivered people but now He’s going to feed not just a whole village but several villages! But first, He wanted to make sure everyone was in position to be provided for, fed and in the right spot to receive the blessing!
He’s doing the same thing today – revival is coming!! Are you willing to let God order your life? Are you willing to let Him put you in the spot He wants you in? Are you willing to let God move you (your heart)?
It’s time put things into order! Let God have His way in our life ~ in all of our life, not just parts!
“Search me O God and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” ~ Psalm 139:23,24
Take some time now and ask the Father “Where am I out of order?”
Repent for each action or area He reveals to you.
Ask Him to order your life, to put you in the right position so you don’t miss out on what Jesus is doing!
Celebrate His grace and goodness with praise!