Running Ahead of a Boat

Observations From My Study (Mark 6:30-33)

You've probably heard that famous Bible story where Jesus feeds five thousand men (plus women and children) with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Well, I'm not gonna talk about that. However, today's text is right out of that story, taking place just before Jesus does the actual feeding:

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. (Mark 6:30-33)

What interests me about this passage is the fact that they ran to the place that Jesus and his disciples went to by boat. Now, these boats probably weren't propelled by anything but wind and waves, but still. These people were desperate enough to either hear or see Jesus that they chased after Him!

Were these people saved? This text doesn't say. A lot of people only followed Jesus because He performed miracles, not because they cared about salvation. Maybe that's all these people wanted. If that was it, I'd say they weren't saved, meaning they didn't understand the truths of salvation, the reality of judgment, or the justice of God.

Now, if you're a Christian, you do understand those realities, or at least you have a better idea about them than an unsaved person. So I wonder: do you, Christian, pursue God with the same vigor as these people whose salvation is, at best, ambiguous? You know that there are more important things than signs and wonders; the main thrust of Jesus ministry was preaching the truth of salvation, not working miracles (Mark 1:38). You know where the true joy of the church lies. So, shouldn't you be pursuing God even more enthusiastically than a bunch of people seeking miscellaneous miracles? Isn't the true miracle of salvation even greater and worth far more joy and enthusiasm?