Joyska's Journal: How is it that you do not understand?











Friday, December 16, 2005

How is it that you do not understand?

I've been reading in Mark the last 2 days and there is a section that I keep coming back to...

Mark 8:17-21

"But Jesus ,being aware of it, said to them, 'Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?'

They said to Him, 'Twelve.'

'Also when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?'

And they said,'Seven.'

He said to them 'How is it that you do not understand?'"

How is it that you do not understand? What a piercing question. What had the disciples missed? They had been there when he had multiplied the loaves and fish... twice. Once with the 5000, and once with the 4000... which of course was actually more like the 10,000 with the women and children...

They had themselves gathered up the 12 baskets, and the 7 seven LARGE baskets of leftovers on both occasions. The context of this is Jesus telling his disciples to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. They thought that Jesus was chastising them for not bringing along more bread... that they would have to ask the people where they were going for provision.

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? I thought it was the "wrong" doctrines, the interpretation of the law that was based on tradition, not commandments... but the phrase "and of Herod" made me think there has to be more to it than that.

BOTH the Pharisees and Herod were asking and looking for a sign that Jesus was who He said He was... They weren't taking the signs that were right in front of them... they wanted something...spectacular? astounding? something with varifiable proof?

The disciples had seen the spectacular, the astounding AND the proof of the leftover baskets... and Jesus says to them, "How is it that you still do not understand?"

I have to take that to heart today. God has proven himself to me over and over again. I have seen him do spectacular things...I have been astounded by His mercy in my life... and the varifiable proof of who He is is all around me. How is it that I don't understand?"

When the question of provision comes up for me, I am quick to forget how he has been faithful... how He has never let me down... and all it takes for Him is a word and the very floodgates of heaven are opened. How is it that I don't understand?
Joyska at 12:26 PM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home