A Little Wonder, A Little Awe

Ok, let's keep going with this
so you bring your "I wonder" questions.

You could say...
...there are no answers to these questions
or
...we can answer some of these questions...
or
...what do they matter ....

You have permission to pull very different things out of this passage but let's play with this. Here's what I know...

I know from scripture that Jesus wanted to be alone. I also know from my personal memory and experience what it means to me to want to be alone and have somebody or sombodies need something. This says to me that Jesus gave up what He wanted (and probably needed) in order to minister to and love these people. (Another reason I might say this is because He went off to the mountain alone when it was all over... ) Even if He knew ahead of time that all this was going to happen it still tells us alittle of how much He loves people. Imagine the dynamic of that and being there.

I know from scripture that it got late and the disciples said, send the people away so they can get themselves some food. (Here's His chance to be alone!) But Jesus said, We can feed them. Feed them with what we have. There were children there. If you're a parent you've had hungry whiny children. Imagine walking back to town with them late to find food. (Ok, they still had to wait their turn but they didn't have to walk back to town.) I'm guessing a lot of parents said, "Thank you, Lord!"

I also know from experience what it's like for someone to say, "Oh, 100 people, no problem!" I know what it means to be tired and have that person say, "Oh...I have to be out of town but this is all you have to do..." (Thus my question: Were the disciples scowling or smiling? We don't know...)

Ok, it's taken me 3-4 blogs to say that these "wonder questions" open a door for me to interact with the story at a different level and for God to interact with me at a different level. I'm not only reading what is clearly in the passage (I'm not changing anything) but there are layers that surface when you bring your memories, your experiences, your questions, your God-given imagination. The result is that the living Word of God will be more to me than information.

I have 50 + years worth of memory and experience to bring (sometimes it matters, sometimes it doesn't) It still amazes me how often I can open the scriptures and see something I never saw before though I've read a passage many times. Why? The Word is alive! The Word is living and active in every generation.

A child may have only 4-5 years of memory and experience. They see and hear based on that much understanding and experience. But how often does a child see and hear things that we miss.? We laugh at childlike simplicity or concrete associations but in the end, we can't help but marvel at simple truth! That child is, in fact, interacting with the Word and the God who is speaking. Each response, each revelation, is a building block for their own faith.

Now take the passage and imagine a child like your three or four year old being part of the crowd when Jesus fed the 5000. Maybe he was healed. Maybe she ate some bread. Maybe Jesus touched him or brushed by her. Maybe Jesus made a father or mother or grandparent or a brother or a sister better. Maybe she slept through it! We don't know but we know there were children there. Even if the historic child who was actually there came away with only a parent's story, "You were there when Jesus..." they were there!

All of my talking about "wondering" is obviously laced with my adult, scientific, overly analytical thinking not just a child-like God-given imagination. But God is the God who delights in little children and I truly believe that He loves it when we come to Him like children with or despite our mature, highly refined, analytical thinking skills.

Giving children (and adults) permission to "wonder" about God and what He says may not bring answers or it may not bring us the answers we expect. But it will surely feed the wonder and awe in us that God deserves.