A Desolate Place

Mark 6:30–44 ESV

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Finding yourself in a Desolate Place

The crazy thing about the desolate place is they found themselves there because they were following and pursuing Jesus

Following Jesus will definitely take you places

it might not always be places you were hoping to go

The place they landed did not change because the crowd showed up

I would argue that it became even more desolate

Not only do have an empty landscape, now you have empty people

Purpose in desolation

They had no time to eat because of the crowds coming and going

That purpose of feeding did not change, rather it expanded

They thought the purpose of their desolation was for their own satisfaction

God was getting ready to use their season, to bless the crowd as well

The disciples weren’t the only ones hungry

We can’t be so small minded that we think our season is only for us

God will lead us to a season of desolation so that we can experience him in fullness

sometimes we are so busy and distracted by all the fullness of the landscape and season that we learn to lean more on that than on Christ.

This reminds me of Luke 10:38-42

Luke 10:38–42 ESV

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Provision in desolation

desolation means there is nothing

That is why the disciples tried to send the crowd away

many times when we find ourselves in desolation we seek a new location

We see a lack of RE-source, and forget that we have the MAIN source

See what you have

When Jesus commanded them to feed the people themselves they said we have nothing to feed them with.

Jesus said “go see what you have.”

they thought they would have to (like with the crowd) go somewhere else in order to find what they needed.

But Jesus already knew that among them was everything they needed

Sometimes we have what we need but don’t even realize it because what we have does not match up with what we need.

Reminds me of 2 Kings 4:1-7

2 Kings 4:1–7 ESV

1 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”

“Nothing, But”

Which one is it?

When what we have doesn’t line up with what we need we call it “Nothing”

You never have nothing

In fact, in the history of eternity even before creation there has never been nothing.

John 1:1 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

There has always been the “Word”!

Blessing in Desolation

Jesus Blessed the bread and broke it before he distributed it

Sometimes blessing looks like brokenness

In this story, the brokenness was not for reduction, but for production

Anything, or any season that seems broken, in Gods hands is actually blessed.

Usually brokenness is a sign that you are getting ready to be multiplied

I have experienced more growth in my broken seasons than I ever have in wholeness seasons.

What broke you in the last season will sustain you in the next season

Mark 6:43 ESV

43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

The number 12 represents “governing authority” in the bible

this means for us that when we come through a desolate season, there is an authority that we can carry into the next season.

Jesus in Desolation

where did all these things come from?

Jesus

Jesus called them to Desolation

He called them to fulfill the purpose of feeding

He called them away to be alone with him

He provided everything that they needed

He brought the blessing

He is the Bread of Life

in a desolate place is where Jesus satisfies all

In John 6 shortly after he preformed this miracle:

The crowd followed him again and Jesus calls them out for following him because they ate their fill of the loaves

Then reveals to them that He in fact is the bread of life and all who partake of him will never hunger