So, in pursuit of balance in my life - I have been marinating on this one verse. It is from Mark – at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He had just healed a young girl – and everyone was amazed at what He has done. THEN, “(Jesus) strictly charged them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat.” 5:43

(Image is a little off-subject, but inspired by "Glee" last night - which had a very interesting discussion on religion - definitly worth watching - but, did you know there is a whole web site dedicated to "Stuff that Looks Like Jesus?!")

WHAT?! I can not get it out of my mind!!! Jesus was able to heal her – but wasn’t able or chose not to feed her!!! Jesus, who divided loaves and fish enough to feed the five thousand – didn’t just miraculously make her full. He “told them to give her something to eat.” Jesus COULD do anything, because yes, our God is able. But - “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” (Romans 9:14-16)

News Flash: God is God, and we are not. Who are we to question God without knowledge and understanding of His ways? (Job 38:2) God has created and is in all things on this Earth. And we know that for those who love God ALL THINGS work together for GOOD. (Romans 8:28) So, yes – God has done the miraculous: He loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die as the atonement for our sin – even when He knew we would continue sinning.

But – He has also given us great gifts to use while we are on Earth: “ALL things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3), just as He gave the disciples the ability, time, and direction to feed the girl.
I am reminded of a story – (I can not remember where I heard it) about a man on a sinking ship. He was a man of great faith, praying through the storm for God to save Him. He prayed and prayed...
Then, the other men on board found a life raft– they asked the man to come with them as they made it safely to shore, but he said, “No, I’ll wait, God is coming to save me.

When they got to shore, they sent the coast guard out to rescue the man, left praying on the ship. But, when the coast guard arrived and asked him to jump in, he said, “No, God is coming to save me.” So, the coast guard left him.
The man continued to pray earnestly for God to come and rescue him – and a helicopter arrived to take him home, but the man said, “No! I won’t go on the helicopter, God is coming to save me!”
And so – the ship sunk, and the man died, and when he got to heaven, he asked God, “Why didn’t you come to save me???” To which God replied, “I sent the raft, then the boat, and even the helicopter – all you had to do was jump in!”
So, God has saved us, but He has given us the responsibility to choose – all we have to do is jump in…