They seemed to have left in a hurry. They did have access to food, in fact plenty of leftover fish and bread had been picked up from feeding 4000 people. But as soon as they arrived to their destination, their Teacher was once again greeted with the arguing and questioning religious leaders of the day. "Show us a sign from heaven that you are really who you say you are!" they demanded. Sighing deeply, and denying their request, Jesus and his followers abruptly left . . . Don't they get it, that the sign they seek from heaven is actually standing and breathing right in front of them?
Now trying to have a teachable moment with his disciples, Jesus begins to give them insight into the traditions and rules of the Pharisees and Herodians, i.e. insight into the danger of being spiritually dead and hardhearted by man made religion. But the disciples were hungry and could only complain to one another that they had brought one measly loaf of bread with them. So once again, Jesus brings the conversation back to their "obvious need." "Don't you get it?" "Why are you all discussing bread, when you picked up how many baskets from feeding the 5000?" Jesus asked. "12." "How many left over baskets from feeding the 4000?" "7." Don't you get it or are you just like the spiritually dead religious leaders who crave for a sign from heaven and are completely dead to the sign before them, i.e. the Bread of Life?
I like to imagine that somehow I would have been so different if I had actually been with Jesus. I like to think if I had witnessed all that he said and did, that believing in him would be so much easier. I would have been so much brighter than his disciples. But his question haunts me, "Don't you get it, Mary?" Honestly, I too find myself wanting to have a dramatic sign and wonder before me, yet that is only holding out for a sign, when in my very hands I have the sign of God's words and promises. Unbelief and selfish demands are causes for Jesus to deeply sigh and stay away.
Don't you get it? It's just believing and trusting in what has already been said and done, it's just believing that He's the One.
Now trying to have a teachable moment with his disciples, Jesus begins to give them insight into the traditions and rules of the Pharisees and Herodians, i.e. insight into the danger of being spiritually dead and hardhearted by man made religion. But the disciples were hungry and could only complain to one another that they had brought one measly loaf of bread with them. So once again, Jesus brings the conversation back to their "obvious need." "Don't you get it?" "Why are you all discussing bread, when you picked up how many baskets from feeding the 5000?" Jesus asked. "12." "How many left over baskets from feeding the 4000?" "7." Don't you get it or are you just like the spiritually dead religious leaders who crave for a sign from heaven and are completely dead to the sign before them, i.e. the Bread of Life?
I like to imagine that somehow I would have been so different if I had actually been with Jesus. I like to think if I had witnessed all that he said and did, that believing in him would be so much easier. I would have been so much brighter than his disciples. But his question haunts me, "Don't you get it, Mary?" Honestly, I too find myself wanting to have a dramatic sign and wonder before me, yet that is only holding out for a sign, when in my very hands I have the sign of God's words and promises. Unbelief and selfish demands are causes for Jesus to deeply sigh and stay away.
Don't you get it? It's just believing and trusting in what has already been said and done, it's just believing that He's the One.
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