Compassion for the Sheep Without a Shepherd [Mark 6]

30The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught.

31And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) 32They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.

  33The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them.  34When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.

Jesus had sent the twelve disciples out in pairs, "so they went out and preached that people should repent. And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with oil, and healing." v. 12. When they came back to report all they had done and taught, He invited them to get away and rest for awhile.  So they headed out by boat to a remote place. "So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd."  (Holman CSB)

If you read the rest of the chapter you know what happened next.  After teaching them all day, the disciples approached Him and said, "This place is a wilderness, and it is already late! Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat."  But instead Jesus fed 5,000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish. 

Do you sense the disciples frustration? Didn't they come here to rest and get away from the many people? But instead they deal with the crowds all day and now they are hungry.  So Jesus feeds them, along with all the crowd and then "immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain to pray." vs. 45-46. 

He knows what the people need and He knows what His disciples need.  They need a shepherd.  One that will take care of their physical needs so that they have a chance to be ministered to spiritually. Later He walks across the water to meet the disciples' physical needs again - causing the winds to cease and offering them courage when their emotions were raw.

May we be aware today of all the ways our Shepherd is meeting our needs physically, emotionally and mentally preparing us to receive  how Holy Spirit is ministering to our soul.