The book of Mark speaks of the blindness of not only the Pharisees but of the disciples. The blindness of the miracle being worked before them, but no belief of it being a miracle perhaps. An everyday occurence with Jesus something wonderful seems to happen, but one quickly forgets the event as if it common to man for these things to happen. If you every watched the movie Mary Poppins and see this nanny come and pull all she seems to own out of one carpet bag, from lamp, to clothes, and more you soon realize there is no way that all those things really fit in that bag. Yet the Banks children in the story of Mary Poppins are delited, with the wonders of the new nanny as their own room is put straight, and all their toys are placed on the shelf by some magical art. Now we know Mary Poppins is a made up story, but the events of the story shows two kids wide eyed by what will this woman do next. By the end of the story make believe is gone with the flying of kites and happy every after story. Yet the magic only a temporal effect to get the children to trust her. The make believe world of magic a trickster to soon get the children back to their parents, the rightful care takers. Disney did this type of story more then once to wow his audience in the film industry, to help kids stretch their imagination, their hope and their need for the family unit that things in real world and life really not so bad. The fake miracles of the stage.

When we speak of Biblical stories that seem larger then life people might look at fables and stage of our world and say hmm, maybe a story with a meaning. Some point you either believe miracles are possible, signs and wonders from God are real, or man likes to do a little magic of their own to make the world a better place. When it comes to Christ the miracles and wonders he did were done once again in the land of Israel as it had on the road to the promise land. The need for food for many starving people. Jesus took the bread and fish and broke them to feed four thousand people. The miracle story of manna from heaven coming to life before the Pharisees, Sadducees, disciples and the crowd. Of course the crowd went wild for this sort of thing and would search for where Jesus went because they were feed with so little and were satisfied. They would be interested in that free meal. When God gave manna from heaven it was more then one day and one week. It was over a period of time God provide food in the wilderness for the people. How manna fell overnight we really don't know beyond the fact it was a miracle. Yet people either see the miracle or sign as if God gave or as it some form of deception not understood, from the magical world of deception.

A person almost has to be in a place of hunger or a place of no other option but prayer before they can see the miracle of God in their life. It sad really but in truth to believe in God, to know that the work of God is real, one has to be at place where there no other option that could of provided for them. That miracle or wonder almost a bandaid on the situation but not always the complete solution to the problem, after all those people still searched for Jesus after being feed. The Pharisees still asked for a sign and the disciples failed to carry more then one loaf into the ship. The disciples trusting Jesus would meet the need, the crowd looking for every need to be meet and the Pharisees still search for their need to be meet, not truly believing the miracle or sign they just witnessed.

The world of make believe is the world where the story always works out right, but in this story this is not make believe and the story does not end happily ever after. It ends with people still desiring from Jesus. Just because Jesus provides does not mean he going to provide everytime there is a need. We can seek Jesus all day long knowing his provision, but it does not mean we are not to do something about our own situation. About our own need. Jesus had tried to leave that crowd behind and yet they still followed him.

If you ever watch a mother cat train her kittens to hunt, they still want momma to feed them even at age two. They still look for momma even after their time of weaning for provision. At some point one has to learn to hunt on their own. Jesus had lead the crowd so he took on the responsibility of feeding them this one time, but he went away from them, leaving them behind only for them to follow. The pharisees only kept begging for more evidence and would not believe the first evidence. Disciples were sloppy with their own need, of having only a loaf of bread because they were with Jesus all the time. Jesus even provided fish when their nets were empty in another story. Jesus was telling them you have to take care of your own supplies, and do not expect that miracle everytime, though I can provide it.

The physical provision is not to be met without work, nor is it to be met with a miracle everytime, but God does provide. Christ does provide as long as the need is there. I look at my own freezer and I am amazed at how God does allow food to stretch sometimes. Sometimes provisions are meet not only because of skills learned but also sometimes beyond what could of expected with so little. I told my husband we finally are doing better, but I can not believe we made it from 2010 to now. That was the grace of God. God ever reminding me that his provision is when we have a true need and not one that is only a true want. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, maybe better said I will not be in need for my desire will be meet, not always as I desire. Yet God teaching what true need is.

We do not need to live on the street to know the power of God to provide, we only need to pray to know when the need is meet in our life, whether in hardship or in wealth, God provision is where we need it most and that spiritual, his presence always being with us by his Spirit. Yet the signs and wonders of faith are quickly either forgotten or left behind as the Pharisees seem to forget what just happened. The supplier of the need does want people to supply for themselves, and not always be in the position of worship. Even Apostle Paul made tents. What it means is work when you can and when you can not God will not leave or forsake you. Dont' be blind or fool and leave your work without knowing that God really sending you else where. God will reveal plans of departure and plans of open doors to go.

Dear Heavenly Father, provide the evidence of your will in our life, reminding always your signs and wonders in our life. Do not always only supply us in our need, but remind us of our own ability to supply for ourselves as Jesus did the disciples. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 8:13-14 KJV
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: