Somewhere along the way, I picked up a belief that God immediately punishes individuals for their sins. Perhaps, I heard too many sermons on the wrath of God from the Old Testament growing up. Subsequently, I began to read too much into daily events, as if I knew why good or bad things were happening to me. Fortunately, I’m not the only one who struggles to understand God.
“Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” – Mark 8:15
One day while traveling across the countryside, the disciples forgot to bring their usual allotment of bread for their trip. As soon as this was brought to Jesus’ attention, He began to warn the disciples. Thinking Jesus was mad at them for forgetting the bread, each misread what the Lord was trying to say. Instead of seeing the big picture, the twelve disciples were blinded by a narrow view of this world.
Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? – Mark 8:18
A day earlier, Jesus had fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Focused on whose fault it was, forgetting the bread, each disciple failed to see that Jesus was and is the Bread of Life. The yeast of the Pharisees is cynicism from human beings who try to discredit Jesus’ miracles. Therefore, if you begin to live by sight and not by faith, you too may soon misread signs from God.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 