Trusting God for provision, compassion
By Dr Edward Tamale Sali
Let us take a moment to reflect on Mark 8:1-9, a passage that speaks deeply to God’s love, care, and provision for His people, regardless of who they are or where they come from. In this sermon, let us dive into what God wants us to understand from this story and how it applies to our lives.
In the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus was among the Jews; now, He is surrounded by Gentiles, those outside the traditional people of God. Yet, Jesus did not view them any differently. His compassion reached out to them all, fulfilling their needs without discrimination. This speaks to us as Christians. God’s love does not depend on who we are or where we come from. His love is for everyone, and He cares deeply for each one of us.
God’s concern for your needs (Mark 8:1-3)
The disciples might have thought that feeding such a large crowd was impossible. We, too, sometimes feel that our needs are too small or insignificant for God to notice. But here, we see Jesus concerned with the daily, physical needs of people who had been with Him for days. Jesus says in Matthew 6:32: “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” So, whether it is food, health, family, or finances, God is aware of your needs and wants to provide for you.
Do you have a worry that you think is too small to bring before God? He invites us to bring our concerns to Him in prayer, even those things that might seem trivial. There is nothing too big or too small for God.
Remember what God has done (Mark 8:4)
The disciples had seen Jesus feed 5,000 people before, yet they still questioned how He could feed this new crowd. This sounds familiar, doesn’t it? We often doubt God’s ability to act in our current circumstances, forgetting what He has already done for us. It is easy to be consumed by our immediate challenges, so much so that we lose sight of past victories. But when we remember God’s faithfulness, it strengthens our faith for what He can do in the future.
If you are facing a challenge today, take a moment to remember how God has brought you through trials in the past. His faithfulness then is a promise of His faithfulness now. Let us not be like the disciples, slow to remember and quick to doubt, but let us hold onto the assurance that God is with us and can meet our needs once again.
Importance of giving thanks (Mark 8:6)
Before distributing the food, Jesus gave thanks. By doing so, He sets an example for us to be thankful for our daily blessings. Life itself is a gift, and the provision we receive each day — be it food, shelter, or health — is a reminder of God’s faithfulness. In our Ugandan culture, we often gather around food to share fellowship. Let us keep the habit of thanking God before we eat and honouring Him for every meal.
Gratitude changes our perspective. When We are thankful, we recognise that everything we have is from God’s hand. It turns our hearts away from discontent and helps us to see the abundance in our lives. Let our thankfulness be genuine, acknowledging that every blessing is a gift from God.
Guarding against hard-heartedness (Mark 8:15)
Jesus warns His disciples about the “yeast” of the Pharisees and Herod, referring to the dangerous, pervasive attitudes of the religious and political leaders of that time. This yeast represents pride, unbelief, and resistance to God’s truth. When we let these attitudes into our hearts, they grow, just as yeast spreads through dough. Jesus urges us to be on guard, to keep our hearts soft and open to His truth.
In our own lives, it is easy to develop hard-heartedness. We might start to judge others, hold onto tradition without love, or lose faith in the power of God. Hard-heartedness blinds us to God’s work and distances us from His will.
Trusting in God’s gradual work (Mark 8:25)
In Mark 8:25, we read that Jesus healed a blind man in two stages. This was no limitation on Jesus’ power, but rather, He was showing that sometimes His work unfolds gradually. Like the blind man who first saw people as trees before fully seeing them, we may not always understand God’s work in our lives immediately. However, in time, He brings everything into clarity.
