SCRIPTURE: Mark 8:14-21
I have been journalling for years, and one thing I’ve noticed is that I often have to learn things over again.
Lessons learned in the past have to be relearned again.
And I can sense the Lord gently saying to me, “Why can’t you see or understand? Are you stubborn?”
Jesus warns His disciples about the subtle influence of spiritual (Pharisees’ yeast) or worldly (Herod’s yeast) deception… but He also warns them about their own stubbornness and lack of understanding.
There are pressures and forces around me, distracting and deceiving me from what is important and true.
But there are also personal attitudes, behaviors and choices that I make, that keep me from growing or learning.
I need to be aware of both, of outward pressures but also of inward responses.
Yes, I am constantly facing pressures around me, but through it all I am able to respond, or response-able.
What choices am I making (or not making) that are helping or hindering my spiritual progress and growth?
Where is Jesus challenging me about my stubbornness or lack of understanding?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I have seen evidence of Your power and love, yet I also forget, I also get distracted, I also am stubborn. As I face the pressures and tests of the day, strengthen my response-ability, and help me to choose to live wise and true!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Observation/Application
God continues to provide.
Remember?
A miracle is a miracle because it is a miracle. But what do I see with the miracles? God’s caring healing providing power. The bread – whether the one loaf, or the feeding of 5,000 or 4,000 is no different than feeding His people in the desert with manna. He provides.
He still provides!
Do I understand that?
In times like these, do I have the eyes that see and the ears hat hear Him speaking loud and clear – ‘I am the way. Follow me.’ I will take care of you for I am the bread of life!
Prayer
Help me to see you this day Lord. Open my eyes so that I see You everywhere.
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch Him
And say that we love Him
Open our ears, Lord
And help us to listen
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus
He paid a debt He did not owe
I owed a debt I could not pay
I needed someone to wash my sins away
And now I sing a brand new song:
“Amazing grace” (amazing grace)
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay
Open my eyes, Lord
I want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch Him
And say that I love Him
Open my ears, Lord
And help me to listen
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay
I just happened to click on Feb 20, where we were looking at a similar topic in Matthew 16: 5-12. Here are my comments from that day.
What does yeast do that makes it mentioned in this way? A small amount of yeast (~2 teaspoons) can influence a large amount of flour and water mixture (100-150 teaspoons). This can be a good thing, when making yummy delicious bread. Or this growth can be a bad thing, when associated with infections and good health. What is it about the Pharisees that Jesus is comparing to yeast? We are told to be on guard against this yeast. It is suggested that the teaching of the Pharisees is what needed to be watched.
So today’s lesson means nothing to us, because we do not have Pharisees or Sadducees around any more. And if we did, they would change their title to something like Pastor, or Minister, or Elder, or Small group leader, or church attender. What are we teaching others and believing ourselves that is not correct? This is always a tough question to ask. It is hard to think that what we believe is not real, or the best way. It is hard to move away from a commonly held belief. Everyone knows that the earth is flat. Everyone knows that man did not really land on the moon, but the entire event was filmed in a Hollywood theatre.
So how do we be on guard for teaching that is not quite right? How about checking it out to see if what we are told conflicts with what we are taught in the Bible? I am not sure that we need to be correct about every detail, but we need to be kind and gracious in our dealings with others. And we need to strive to learn the truth. And there may be several versions of the truth, depending on perspective.
I pray that as I am influenced by those around me, that I can be on guard against teaching that is not correct. I pray that I may be open to what God would like me to hear, even if it goes against commonly accepted truths.
I still don’t get it. I wonder about the relationships the disciples had with each other, and with Jesus. Here it almost looks like the disciples were afraid of Jesus. They did not feel that they could come right out and ask Jesus to explain something that sounded a bit cryptic to them. And a lot of what Jesus said was cryptic, and not straight forward. His teaching was done with parables, or stories to explain a point. How much of these stories can be taken literally, and how much do we need to look for the point in what he said. And to make matters worse for the disciples, Jesus chides them for not understanding. They did not get it when he talked to them about the yeast of the Pharisees ant that of Herod. I think I am with the disciples on this one. Literally? Figuratively? Is Herod and the Pharisees not marketing yeast? And if figuratively, what does this mean? I think it refers to the teachings that was coming from these people.
Jesus is also telling them to not worry. Remember that Jesus can feed 5000, and 40000 (plus women and children) so don’t worry about having enough food. Jesus is saying that He will provide.
Help me to trust in you. Help me to understand that you care for me, that you provide, and that you are capable of great things. Help me to learn your will from reading your word, and to watch out for teaching that does not agree with this.