Can't You See?

Posted by Dion Todd September 16th, 2015 6,353 Views 0 Comments

They forgot to take bread; and they didn't have more than one loaf in the boat with them. He charged them, saying, 'Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.' They reasoned with one another, saying, 'It's because we have no bread.' Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, 'Why do you reason that it's because you have no bread? Don't you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, don't you see? Having ears, don't you hear? Don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?' They told him, 'Twelve.' Mark 8:14 WEB

The disciples forgot to bring bread on their trip and only had one loaf on the boat with them. When Jesus told them to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, they began to immediately look at their physical needs, and the lack of supplies which was their fault. Because of their oversight of not bringing bread, they assumed Jesus was scolding them.

They were not blamed by Jesus for their oversight, but for their lack of faith in His provision. It it always like that. God speaks to us, and we immediately look at ourselves like a failure, 'we have let Him down' or 'we don't have enough for that.' Then He says 'Why don't you understand that I was not talking about that? Can't you see? Don't you remember what I have already done for you?'

When God calls us to do something, we often look at what we have available on hand and then say 'We don't have enough' and that is completely irrelevant to His plan. Jesus had already taken five loaves of bread and fed five-thousand and there were twelve baskets of broken pieces left over. Another time He had taken seven loaves of bread and fed four-thousand and there were seven baskets of broken pieces left over. One loaf was enough. There was no shortage of bread in that boat.

The disciples were blinded by an immediate need and had forgotten that as they put God's kingdom first, their needs would be met just as the thousands had already been fed. 'Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you' (Luke 12:29'31 WEB).

When they began to look at themselves and their failures, Jesus was grieved. He told them 'Why do you reason that it's because you have no bread? Don't you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, don't you see? Having ears, don't you hear? Don't you remember?'

After all this time with Jesus, the disciples still could not see past their immediate physical needs. They were yet blind, deaf, hardened and insensitive to the Spirit of God, like us. When they got to land, the next miracle that Jesus did was opening the eyes of a blind man (Mark 8:22).

Do not look at your immediate needs in fear and do not look at your failures. Focus on the kingdom of God and the things that you need will be added unto you. As you trust God and seek Him, He will take care of you. He will make a way, where there is no way. He makes the impossible become part of our history.

Prayer: Father, open my eyes and ears. Help me to see and hear what the Spirit says to the church. I want to be a part of what you are doing today. Speak to me and through me, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.