We who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT.

I loved this in Hearing God by Dallas Willard: “The Kingdom Works by Words…For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, “Go,” and he goes; and that one, “Come,” and he comes. I say to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it. Luke 7:8. The Roman centurion seemed to understand, from his own experience of authority, how Jesus accomplished what He did. His practical faith in Jesus was based on his secular knowledge of the power of authoritative words. Even though he didn’t seem to have any special degree of faith in God, he recognized Jesus’ authority to heal. For him, Jesus’ “speaking the word” was enough because where the king’s word is, there is power. In his own arena the centurion was authorized to speak for a higher king, Caesar. The centurion understood what we often miss, because the kingdom of God is a kingdom; it works in large measure by words, as all kingdoms do. This understanding equipped him to have complete trust in Jesus’ power. Meditate: Read Luke 7:1-10. Imagine yourself as a friend of the centurion telling Jesus not to come, but only to speak words of healing. Would you have trusted, as the centurion did, that you’d find the servant healed when you got back to the house? How well do you trust what God says? Would you prefer to see proof of God’s care before believing it?”

And in our chapter, Mark 6, we see more of the pressing in of the crowds who followed Jesus and the disciples wherever they went. In stark contrast, is Herod. Jesus left there and went to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given Him? What are these remarkable miracles He is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him…He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. v. 1-3, 5-6. He was amazed at their lack of faith. Crowds who had never met Jesus were following Him in droves. He was so familiar to His own hometown people where He grew up to maturity, that they could not accept Him now speaking words no one in their sphere had ever spoken, nor believe Him being the one doing miracles. And then Jesus sends out His disciples by twos to go to villages to teach, to heal, and to drive out impure spirits, v. 7-13. Jesus is becoming so well known that King Herod has heard about Him; and he thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead. Imagine the fear that must have generated in Herod who had John killed because John spoke against his illegal marriage to Herodias, v. 14-29. The crowds knew Jesus could heal; Herod was fearful of losing his authority. Amidst all of these motivations of the people both small and great, Jesus listens to the reports of His disciples’ work. They must have been so excited! And the people kept coming. So Jesus tells them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” v. 30-31. At this point, there are no quiet places because wherever Jesus goes, the crowds anticipate His moves and wait for Him. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so His disciples came to Him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered, “You give them something to eat.” v. 33-37. Imagine…the number of men alone of this crowd is 5,000! Jesus sees that and so do the disciples. It’s late. So Jesus asks them how many loaves of bread they have and they have five loaves and two fish. Jesus takes these meager supplies, looks to heaven, gives thanks for this provision and breaks the loaves and fish. The provision was multiplied by the Father and not only were the thousands fed, but there were twelve baskets of broken pieces left over, 37-44. I wonder what His hometown people and Herod would have made of that miracle? As was His custom, Jesus needed time to be with the Father. He sent the disciples ahead in the boat while He dismissed the crowd and went to a mountainside to pray. Can you imagine what He talked about with the Father? v. 45-46. The disciples in the boat made it to the middle of the lake and no further because the wind was against them. Jesus saw them! Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn He went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw Him walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. v. 47-51. Remember Mark is writing this decades later. He wasn’t with the disciples. It’s easy to judge harshly when we are not the ones experiencing events. And even now, after crossing the lake, the crowds clamer to be near Jesus. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout the whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. And wherever He went – into villages, towns or countryside – they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged Him to let them touch even the edge of His cloak, and all who touched it were healed. v. 54-56.

What about us? Are these just stories we read and dismiss? We didn’t experience these amazing events. Have they become so familiar that they are like wallpaper, everywhere and invisible? Yet when we read with hope that Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, IS…and ask Him to help us see, something happens deep within. Our hearts stir. God is not far away and distant judging every move and thought. He is right here loving us. He is right here. Wow! That changes everything!