Mark Dip - Day 4

DAY 4 – REMIND ME AGAIN WHY I CHOSE THESE TWELVE

Mark 8:14-21 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.

This is an embarrassing moment that I am sure the disciples wanted Mark to omit from his story, but Mark boldly puts in this tale of the disciples, completely confused and arguing over bread. Why? Because we have all done it! Read the whole section in Chapter 8:14-21 and then read what had just happened before in 8:1-13 – yep, they had just come from the miracle of feeding four thousand people with seven loaves of bread and now they are arguing about forgetting the bread! I absolutely love Jesus reaction in this story in Chapter 8:17-18, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?’ Jesus is being as polite as He can without saying, ‘Are you serious? Are you so stupid that after having seen me produce food for 5000 and 4000 people in two miracles, you are now worried that we don’t have any bread to eat!’ You can imagine Jesus looking to heaven and asking God if He was sure that these were the twelve that were going to spread the gospel. He must have prayed for God to give Him strength and patience!

I remind myself of this story every time I find myself stressing or worrying over something God has just provided a miracle for. Whether it be financial, depression, conflict, or I simply hit another hurdle in my journey, it’s easy to backtrack into fear and fall into the same trap of disbelief. It’s easy for your faith to swell in a Conference environment, it’s more difficult to maintain once you go back to normal life! But remember, the same Jesus that you encountered at the Conference is the same Jesus who provides your daily bread. Trust in the big and the small miracles!

I read this story and take note of how many times in my life God has done an incredible miracle, got me through the hardest situations, walked me through depression, given me financial miracles that I simply cannot explain and then the very next day I worry and pray about money again, or get nervous when I hit another hurdle. I remind myself of this honest and funny story every time I get myself back into that state and ask God to not let me fall into the same trap as the disciples did in this story. Let me have strength Lord, to stand firm in the knowledge that you did it before, you will do it again!

recommended

Tyndale Commentary Series

Dip into Mark

Mark part one