This morning I am continuing on in my reflections on Mark's Gospel, and the theme appears to be understanding the Kingdom of God. A couple of days ago I was reflecting on the provision of God relating to the multiplication of food to feed 4000 people in a remote location.
As I was rereading that reflection this morning, I thought that I should probably mention the fact that God was also demonstrating that what we consider natural rules do not necessarily apply in the Kingdom. He is the creator and has the authority and power to create, to multiply or to suspend certain natural laws. Jesus wasa demonstrating God's ability to do that through a man walking in obedience. In scripture we see Him speaking to storms and causing them to stop (Luke 8:22-25), walking on water (John 6:16-21), and multiplying food (Mark 8:1-10 for example). Some of His healing miracles also seem to flow counter to our understanding of natural laws, such as the man with the withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), the man born blind (John 9:1-7), and the lame man cured after 38 years (John 5:1-15). All of those would be medically impossible, and still are medically impossible, in our natural world-view. However, God has a Kingdom view, and we need to learn to see things from His perspective, and learn to listen to Him regarding what is possible.
Today I am reflecting on the following verses - Mark 8:13-21 NIV:
[13] "Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
[14] The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
[15] “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
[16] They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
[17] Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? [18] Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? [19] When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
“Twelve,” they replied.
[20] “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”
They answered, “Seven.”
[21] He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
I must say that I am with the disciples on this, and I am not happy that is the case, it is just my present reality. I am so logical and so tied to the natural world-view that I am struggle to understand the laws of the Kingdom yet, and most of the time just walk away from the impossible, the improbable, and think about them in purely logical ways. I can read the stories in the Gospels, but my mind is just wired to think a certain way, at present, and I need help to change!
Lord I want to believe! I want to see and understand! I want my heart and mind to be softened and changed! I want to have eyes that see and ears that hear! I want to understand!
It seems to me that Jesus was encouraging the disciples to reflect back on what He had done and demonstrated in front of them. He was calling them to see that in the Kingdom everything was possible, ever feeding thousands of people (5000 on one occasion and 4000 on another) with a total of twelve loaves. He wasn't explaining the math, but calling to their mind and understanding the principle of God's miraculous provision. The disciples remained mired in the circumstances of what was on hand (They forgot to bring bread on this journey) and not on what God could do.
This is a great example of how I think, I look at the facts on hand and try to figure out a solution using what is available. What if I learned to think from God's perspective? What if I started to look for possibilities, rather than at the limitations. What if I started working my solution equations with a factor for God's miraculous provision? Sort of an A + B + "God's provision" = something beyond my expectation!?
I was just reminded of the story of Peter and John walking into the temple, and seeing the man with the crippled legs. I think this story demonstrates the change in the way they thought.
Here is the story as recounted by Luke in Acts 3:1-10 NIV:
[1] "One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer---at three in the afternoon. [2] Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. [3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. [4] Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” [5] So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
[6] Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. [8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. [9] When all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."
Peter understood that He had "God's Provision" in the form of healing! He had faith that God could do something that was out of the realm of the natural law, or logic. God could restore the man's legs, even though he had been lame from birth. They bypassed the normal human based solution, "give the man some money" and went right to God's provision.
Lord, that is the way I want to think! I pray that You would rewire my thinking, and increase my faith for You to move in miraculous ways. I pray that You might help me see, hear and understand! Help me to embrace Your Kingdom ways and reality! Help me to change my default worldview to embrace Your Kingdom reality.
Amen and Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment