Once Again Enjoying His wonderful wholesome word. Herein the concept always lies of really getting in the flow of God’s river.  Some stay away from the river, not understanding that what they’re so busy chasing is actually in that river. Others come close or get in slightly; if the bank is not steep. But, in statements like “Seek first the Kingdom“ (Matt6:33), God is speaking of us being submerged and saturated.

I see in Mark 8:15, just after feeding a multitude of men + women + children with seven small loaves, Jesus begins to teach on the leaven of the Pharisees and the disciples perceive it as a bread problem. Remember, this teaching example is crystal clear, so we may think of the disciples as goofballs. However, this was a learning experience for us today.

In verse 16 they reason among themselves. Following this, in verse 17, Jesus asks why they are thinking along natural lines and then gets very direct with the statement, “Is your heart still hardened?”

Verse 18 cuts to the instruction area. Jesus says “Having eyes, can’t you see? And having ears, can’t you hear?” Herein lies the real root; “do you not remember?”  I see them (and us also) somehow not letting that teaching and that occasion take a front seat in their being, somehow not being etched into their soul. They were not letting themselves be saturated by that river. There truly would be no place for correction by Jesus here if the disciple were not capable of being corrected and doing it right.

The Lord is kind enough to be redundant and show them again. He says to them again in verse 21 “How is it you do not understand?” Proverbs tells us to get understanding with our wisdom.  I pray now that as God shows us things, we see, we hear, and we remember, so that we will gain understanding. Falling in the river takes giving up and giving over control. But, jumping in the river, that takes some effort! However, it’s well worth the trip .

Have a great day

P Dee