“I’ve been making my way through Mark’s gospel again,” Stan commented. “Earlier this morning I saw how Jesus was able to cut to the core with a simple question.”
“What simple question were you looking at?” I asked.
“It’s in the eighth chapter of Mark,” Stan replied. “Jesus and the disciples were in a boat going somewhere.”
“Where were they going?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Stan replied. “And it really doesn’t matter where they were going. What matters, especially to me and my faith walk is what Jesus said to them when they were concerned that someone forgot to bring bread for them to eat.”
“Forgot to bring bread? How’d that happen?”
“I don’t know that either,” Stan replied. “It doesn’t say, and that’s also not important.”
“Well, what is important?” I asked.
“The disciples had just seen Jesus feed a whole bunch of people with virtually nothing,” Stan replied.
“The feeding of the five thousand,” I commented.
“This time it was four thousand,” Stan replied, “but that’s not important either. What is important is that the disciples had just seen Jesus do a miracle of feeding with virtually nothing, but they were concerned about not having any bread. What Jesus said to them He says to me all of the time.”
“What’s that?”
“You have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a mind to remember what’s important, but you don’t do any of that.”
“And how do you respond when you hear that?” I asked.
“If I’m open to being who and doing what God has for me,” Stan replied, “I will say, ‘Oh, that’s what they’re for!’”
“Meaning what?” I asked.
“God gave me eyes to see what He has for me to see. And He gave me ears to hear what He has for me to hear. And He gave me a mind to remember all that He has done. I’m supposed to use what He has provided so I will know Him in an ever-deepening personal relationship for as long as He keeps me on this side of eternity.”
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Bible verses to consider:
Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember . . .? Mark 8:18.
Son of man, you live in the midst of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 12:2.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.
And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
Prayer: Thank you for your provision of life eternally with you when it’s time. Thank you for opening me to see and to hear the truth so I know I will be in your eternal presence when my time here is completed. In the meantime, before then, you provide the way to know you in an ever-deepening personal relationship by seeing, hearing, and remembering all you have for me. I confess that too often I don’t see, hear, and/or remember because that’s what I choose. Please forgive that foolishness. And please, Father, help me in following every step of your lead so I do, in fact, see, hear, and remember exactly as you intend. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you seen, heard, and accepted the truth of what God has for you? If no, what part is missing? Have you not seen and heard, or have you just not accepted? If the latter, why? Do you not know life eternally with God is a free and gracious gift that only needs to be accepted? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with seeing, hearing, and remembering all that God has for you? If you sense the need for change with any (or all) of that, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 