"And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, 'Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts heardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?"
Mark 8:17-18
In reading this passage this morning I was greatly convicted. While considering the situation of the disciples I stand as a guilty man rather than a critic. In so many cases, I myself have been one to easily forget what God has done and instead look at my immediate circumstances and put my trust in something other than God. Such a mentality and heart condition is sinful and is at its root prideful, and therefore is a detriment to my own life.
The disciples had just come from an area in which Jesus compassionately and graciously multiplied a few loaves of bread to an amount that could feed four thousand men. Just a short time before that, he fed five thousand men (not including women and children), and showed His power over nature itself by calming the storm. This man clearly was the Son of God, and the discpiles knew this to be the case. But then, in a complete 180 degree turn, they while not bringing bread to meet their hunger, grow weary and start to worry. Jesus, seeing this, states, "Are your hearts heardened? Having eyes, do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? Do you not remember?"
Jesus states the disciples condition quite plainly in this passage: both the disciples minds and hearts are aversely affected by the deceitfulness of sin. They have forgotten what God has done in feeding the five thousand and four thousand just a short time ago, and thus have failed to keep in the back of their minds the past grace of God. At the same time, they refused to look and trust in the One that was right next to them, who they rightly believed to be the Messiah, and see the present state of grace that was given. And finally, and closely related to it, their lack of trust in God's provision was a stiff-arm of who Jesus was and what He would continue to do. They pridefully looked to their circumstances and themselves then as being key to their survival, rather than to God. And according to Jesus, this was not just a memory lapse, but a condition of the heardening of their hearts.
One thing is certain: these two realities are closely related. Having one's mind set on the past graces of God is a primary way that one can set their heart in a direction of trust in God. But this is not enough. One could easily look at an historical reality and see the good and merciful things that Jesus has done and not have it mean anything for the individual in question. One must also see and taste who Jesus is (Mk. 8:29) (and who Jesus is for us) and what He promises to do for us and ultimately for His name sake in order to trust completely in Him. Only then will economic situations and emotional situations be light in comparison to the burden that has been lifted from our shoulders.
So trust Him. Jesus is not just a political and social figurehead for good in this world. Jesus is God. He can make a few loaves and fish multiply to feed thousands, so trust Him. Trust Him because He always keeps His promises. Christ, through his death has secured salvation for all who would find Him trustworthy. For those who treasure Jesus, God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).
