Editors note: This devotional is taken from the archives of Gospel of Mark, chapter 6.

“Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.” (Mark 6:45, NIV)

Observations:

I asked myself what Jesus does.

1. Jesus made his disciples get into the boat.

2. Jesus made his disciples go ahead of him into Bethsaida

3. Jesus dismissed the crowd

Interpretation:

I asked myself what is significant about Jesus’ actions.

After the 5000+ were fed, Jesus did not leave them alone. First, Jesus had taught them many things to feed them spiritually. Then, Jesus fed them physically. Now, I believe Jesus is feeding them emotionally. Jesus could have gone His own way and let the disciples dismiss the crowds but Jesus wanted to personally attend to all of them. That is so amazing and shows me Jesus’ patience and care. Jesus cared for each one there and wanted to be there and dismiss the crowd personally. It would have built those in the crowd up emotionally as Jesus dismisses them.

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life. I think there is something special about those in a leadership position waiting till the followers are dismissed before leaving. When I was doing full-time ministry, I felt like I should do the same. I would wait till every student left the fellowship meeting we had every Thursday before leaving unless there was another campus minister from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) there. I wanted to be there for them until they left. Yet, what I did is nothing compared to Jesus' care shown to the 5000+. If he cared for the 5000+ that were there, I know He cares for me because I am His sheep too. He is my Good Shepherd. It is awesome to know that I am in the care of my Good Shepherd.

I ask you now dear friend, whose care are you in really?

Dear friend, we all can be in the care of so many people at times. At other times we can be in the care of a special few. But are you in the care of the One who loves you so much that He gave His life for you and came back to life to save you. More than anything, we can always be in the care of the Good Shepherd. Yes, we can friend! No matter what you are going through or where your life has been, Jesus loves you so much and He will not leave you nor forsake you. He cares for you so much and wants you to be in His care. When He cares for you, no matter what is happening around you, you know that you are in the best care. Since you are in the best care, you do not have to worry about your life. Yeah, this may seem so clique but it is true. He who clothed the flowers of the field with better clothing than King Solomon had will definitely take care of you.

If you are worried about your career, take it to the Lord in prayer. If you are worried about your academics, take it to the Lord in prayer. If you are worried about your relationships, take it to the Lord in prayer. Whatever you are worried about, He wants to hear from you. Jesus does not just care for your spiritual and physical well being. Jesus also cares for your emotional well being. Wait upon Him and let Him work in your life. When you are in His care, He will your burdens bear.

“Let Him have all your worries and cares; for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” (1 Peter 5:7, TLB)

Isn’t that exciting friend?

I know it is for me!

When there has been a lot going on in my life, Oh the comfort of the Savior! Oh the comfort the Savior, He lifts me up and keeps me looking ahead for His wonderful plan in my life to be fulfilled. You should too by looking beyond the circumstances that bring pain but to the One who will help you through the circumstances that bring pain.

Care Enough to Share!
By Ramesh C. Reddy

Leave to the Lord your worry

He is never busy nor in a hurry

Your worry, Jesus will bury

Don’t have to for yourself feel sorry

You can be in His care

Who will your burdens bear

And His love share

So come with the heart that cries

So come with the soul that dries

So come with the mind that tries

Tries without answers

Dries without answers

Cries without answers

For your answer waits

In Jesus, the Rock

With Him now you can walk!

Amen!

May you experience the care of Jesus in your life knowing comforting always, Redeemer emancipates! Amen!

"Comforting Always Redeemer Emancipates!" (C.A.R.E)/”Whose care are you in really?”

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you so much for dismissing the crowd personally. You not only cared for the crowds spiritual and physical needs but also their emotional needs. It means a lot to me Lord. After a long day, you took time to dismiss the crowds personally. Thank you for teaching me a lot. Oh Lord, thank you for taking time for me. We leave to you all our worries and cares. Thank you for wanting all our worries and cares. Thank you for always thinking about us and watching everything that concerns us. It means a lot to me. We turn all our concerns to you Oh Lord wherever they maybe in. We wait for your answer. Help us please not to be in haste and make waste. Help us to depend on you and your care for the things happening in our lives. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you that you hear us and answer us. Oh Lord, I pray right now for the one who needs your special care in their life. You know what they are going through right now. You know their concerns, their doubts, and worries. You alone Oh Lord can bring your comfort and direction for them. For we all need that Lord. I pray that they would rest in you Lord and find their comfort in you. Thank you for helping me find my comfort in you in these turbulent days.  Hear us and answer us Oh Lord. Thank you so much Jesus for hearing and answering us. Thank you that you will take care of us. Thank you for dying for our sin and coming back to life to save us. We give our lives to thee and to the usage of your plan. Help us please Jesus. Thank you so much Jesus! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

If you want Jesus in your life, make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Jesus, I thank you for being the Bread of Life. You are the Living Bread of my life. Thank you for coming from Heaven and giving your life for the life of the world. You sacrificed yourself for humanity. Thank you Lord when we eat of you symbolically making you part of our life, digesting what you teach us by following you, we can be living Eternally, and the fruit that comes will reflect and resemble your life. I want that Father God. I want that Lord Jesus! I want that Holy Spirit! I know of a lot of people who partake of Holy Communion where the bread represents your body broken for their sin and the juice represents your blood shed for their sin. When we partake of Holy Communion, we are reminded that we are remembering you. I want to remember you always Lord Jesus. But for me to remember you always, I need to know you and acknowledge everything you said you are. So right now I acknowledge that you are my Lord and Personal Savior who died and rose again to give me life from sin. So right now, I come to you and say how sorry I am for my sin and living a life on my own. I repent of my sin and ask you to forgive me of my sin with your cleansing blood which I accept. Wash me and I will be clean from this infection of sin. Come Lord Jesus and please become part of my life as you live in me and I will live for you. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I do need your Spirit to reside in me and work in me and through me so I surrender all that I am and will be to you. Whatever your will is for me, please give me the strength and willingness to bear it and rejoice in you. Thank you so much Jesus. I thank you Jesus for becoming my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and have answered me. I thank you that I am your child Oh God. I thank you for becoming my only Way to Eternal Life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Friend you may feel something or may not feeling anything but do not go by your feelings. When you ask Jesus to come into your life, He will and does. He will take over from here as you depend on the Lord and let Him work in you and through you! This is exciting friend! May each one that came to know Jesus be filled with His Holy Spirit forever more and those that know Jesus come to know Him more and more! Amen!

Get yourself involved in a campus Bible study, fellowship, and most of all find a Bible believing church and be involved to grow in your Christian walk with the Lord. They all need to be supplements for your own precious time with the Lord in prayer and meditating on His Word. If you need a Bible, please let me know!

As the movie DaVinci Code opened across the theaters on May 19, 2006, which speaks against the church and most importantly degrades the Name of Jesus Christ, we need to make ourselves available to speak the truth to the falsity presented in the movie and the novel. If you plan to watch the movie or have read the book and have questions or your faith seems to be shaken, please email me or give me a call at 412-720-4579 so we can discuss the false claims in the book that are presented as fact even though the book itself and the movie is presented as fiction. May the Lord bless you and guide you!

If you need anyone to talk to, pray with, or study the Bible with this Spring or Summer of 2006, you can email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com or call me at 412-720-4579. Please do not hesitate. One-one Bible studies can be so powerful to because the Holy Spirit is still in the midst.

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

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