Mark Chapter 8

So a few of the verses that jumped out at me… 

² “My heart is moved…” 

¹² “… Why does this generation ask for a sign?  I tell you, no sign will be given it.”

¹⁸ “Though you have eyes, do you not see?  And though you have ears, do you not hear?”

³³ “…For you look at things, not as God does, but as people do.”

³⁸ “Whoever is ashamed of me and my teaching, in this unfaithful and sinful generation, of that person will the child of Humanity be ashamed…”

I personally feel like Jesus couldn’t be more plain.

First his heart is moved with compassion for the people there who have traveled far to come and listen to and learn from him.  They’ve been with him 3 days and they are hungry and he fears they will faint so he feeds them, miraculously.  He cares about their basic needs and wants them taken care of, he loves them, he cares about them, his heart is moved for them.

Then the Pharisees  came and wanted a sign!  My goodness!  How many signs do they need to see and hear about!  Jesus performed sign after sign, miracle after miracle and they still couldn’t “see” it.  Even his followers forget what he can do and has done and they worry about not having enough bread… Jesus has taken a few small loaves and fishes and first fed the 5,000 and then again, did the same and fed 4,000!  And they worry that one loaf won’t be enough for them.

Then Jesus says, “though you have eyes do you not see?  An though you have ears, do you not hear?”  

I imagine he is whispering, perhaps even yelling the same thing at us now.  “You read my teachings and yet some of you still don’t get it!”  We teach our children and youth to ask “what would Jesus do” in every situation but we don’t live it ourselves.  

And that’s when Jesus asks them “Who do the people say that I am?  Who do you say that I am?”   And he then tells them all he is about to go through and Peter rebukes him.  Peter rebukes Jesus!   And Jesus says, “You look at things, not as God does, but as people do.” 

And isn’t that the crux of what is going on right now?  Some of us just aren’t looking at things as God does, through God’s eyes?  We aren’t moved in our hearts to care about our fellow humans.  We don’t believe what our eyes say or what our ears hear, instead we listen to those who ignore all that Jesus taught.

Next Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, will lose his life will save it.  What good is it to a person to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?  For what could a person give that is of equal value with his life?  Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, in this unfaithful and sinful generation, of that person will the Child of Humanity be ashamed, when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy messengers.” Verses 34-38.

As I read this, I thought of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.  They were both out there helping and protecting their neighbors.  Caring for and about other people — some they may have known and some they may not have…They both gave up their lives for others.  They were/are the living embodiment of this scripture. 

The bullies, the ones shoving their guns in people faces, spraying pepper spray at close range, often mere inches from people’s eyes after they are already being held facedown on the snowy ground, who are beating people, who are terrorizing children, spaying children, CHILDREN, with pepper spray, these are the ones Jesus is warning about. 

I don’t say this in judgement of anyone or any group of people, I say this as a wake up call, an altar call of sorts, as a reminder, as a life line!  It’s not too late to change your mind, it’s not to late to see and hear, it’s not too late to take up the cross.  It’s not too late to have your heart moved. 

In two weeks we observe Ash Wednesday and as the pastor places the mark of the cross in ashes on our foreheads, they will say, “Repent and believe the gospel.”  I hope that we will all experience this blessing and that our hearts will be moved.

Until next time…♥️