Go (but depend on Me)

Active, not passive. The Bible is a book of action, not passivity.

Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:15-21

The disciples came to Jesus with a problem. They had no food to feed the crowd, 5,000+ people. The disciples recommendation was to send them away, let them go buy food, let them solve the issue for themselves. They thought that there was nothing they could do. After all, it wasn’t their responsibility.

Jesus pointed the issue back at them, saying, “you give them something to eat.” He clearly put the ball back in their court with an impossible task. They must have been dumb-founded at Jesus, knowing they could do nothing to feed the people. They could not, but He could, if they depended on Him.

Notice that the story is not teaching passivity. The problem is put squarely in the laps of the disciples. Jesus ultimately performs the miracle, but, first, he puts the issue to the disciples. He asks them to be active, not passive, pushing the people away to solve the problem for themselves. Go, but depend on Me.

The amazing consistency of the Bible. The next story in the Bible finds the disciples in a boat in the middle of a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus comes to their rescue, walking on water. Catching eyes with Jesus, Peter asks the impossible.

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Matthew 14:28-31

When Peter acted, getting out of the boat walking on water, he was completely dependent on Jesus. Like Jesus, he began walking on water. However, when his dependence left Jesus, he sank. Again, Jesus taught to go, but depend on Him.

Many, many stories illustrate this principle in the Bible. Like when Jesus sent the disciples on their first missionary trip, they were to taking nothing but depend on him. Go, but depend on Me. After Jesus leaves earth, you see His followers full of action, depending on Him. There was no passivity, as they depended on God. Go, but depend on me.

It is important to know that Jesus taught to go in accordance with God’s will, not selfish desire or motive. Going, acting, for selfish gain is not His will. We have to always check our motives, and God has given us two good tools to do this, the Bible and prayer. If I am going to make my name greater, making it all about me, this is not Gods’ will. If I am goinf to make His name greater, this is God’s will.

Practically, what could “going” look like today? Maybe, sit with or call the one that needs a friend, someone to talk to, to listen. Uncomfortable? Maybe, but God doesn’t aim for us to live a life of comfort. Jesus was about people, getting in their lives. Maybe our action today is directed at helping a person on your mind. Maybe it is taking that risk you believe to be God’s will for your life.

So, go, but depend on God. There is great joy and freedom in acting according to His will. He has a plan to use you for His glory, and, He is with you.

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20

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