Gleanings – Clueless and Loved (03/21/12)
Mark 8:11-26
“And they discussed it with one another, saying, “We have no bread.””
Jesus is concerned about the leaven of Pharisees and Herod. Their character has the ability to increase hypocrisy and immorality among the people of God, even followers of Jesus. In response, the disciples concluded he, Jesus, is talking about bread as in that made by Wonder or Colonial or Nature’s Own.
First, a note of gratitude is in order. Thank you Jesus for working with such inept men! Reading Mark and observing such patience in you leads me to believe there may be room for me.
Second, why do they not get it? The Pharisees have just tried to trip him up yet again. One Herod has slaughtered the innocent. Another Herod has beheaded John to satisfy a meaningless oath. Pretty bad company, huh? Rather self-evident.
They are blind to things spiritual. Not only is multiplying bread and fish significant. So is the number of basketfuls of leftovers collected at the end of each miracle.
Is the blind man an object lesson? We gain sight in stages? We don’t see all at once!
Are we any more or less blind? I think not. We often overlook where God is at work. Perhaps not the sole source of challenges we face but certainly he is the only one who can turn challenges into greater dependence on God and more obedient Christ following.
What if He orchestrated the presence of every person you encountered yesterday? Can you recall their names? Even bothered to ponder what He was teaching you through the interaction?
In our hyper-rationalism we have concluded that God showing up or acting is not the norm but the exception to the rule. And yet Jesus said my Father is at work to this day (John 5:17). And likewise having been satisfied with the benefits of this world we are choked by its cares and preoccupations. We are numbed to activity from or in another realm.
Consequently we are no different than the first disciples. Often clueless beyond comprehension and yet loved beyond imagination.