So glad I'm not like that ...

I have been reading through the Gospel of Mark in my personal devotion time. In Mark 6 Jesus feeds the crowd of 4,000. In Mark 8 he feeds the crowd of 5,000. In Mark 8:11-13 Jesus refuses the Pharisees’ demand that He produce a miraculous sign on demand. In Mark 8:15 he told the disciples to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” In Mark 8:16 they say, “It is because we haven’t brought any bread.”

I can’t tell you how funny this sequence is to me. Scholars believe that Jesus probably literally fed around 20,000 plus people in these two episodes with around 20 pounds of food, and the disciples were impromptu caterers at these miracles, and yet, they are oblivious to God’s provision. Aren’t you glad we’re not like that?

I mean of course we never misread what God intends, or forget how gracious His provision has been, or get addled and lose our focus. We always follow Jesus perfectly and without any hesitation or confusion, right? Jesus never does a face palm about us, right? He never thinks, “How long must I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19).

I mean, of course He does. But His love is so remarkable. He never treats us as our sin (or ineptness) deserves (Psalm 103:10). Even if we don’t feel very wise, He says, “Ask me, I give wisdom liberally and without reproach” (James 1:5). When we are baffled He says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

This is helpful insight for people like us who (truth be told) are so often just like Jesus’ original disciples.