He Gently Leads Me

Have you ever read the conversations Jesus had with His disciples and noticed the disconnect between what they were saying and what Jesus said? The disciples would talk between themselves about matters that were important to them, but Jesus seemed to be on an entirely different plane of thought and wouldn't entertain their foolishness.

A case in point is Mark 8:13-22 where we find that the disciples worried that they didn't have enough bread. While they're caught up in the momentary crisis, Jesus tries to tell them not to allow the dullness of the Pharisee's to rub off on them. They completely ignore Jesus' words, which shows that they already had.

When I read Mark 8:16, I sense a bit of annoyance in Jesus' tone, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not perceive, nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?” Jesus is slightly irritated because he had been with his disciples a long time and yet they still didn't understand the purpose of His miracles, which are packed more tightly into Mark's gospel than any of the others.

Only days before, Jesus had fed 5,000 men with 5 loves of bread and 2 fish. Similarly, earlier that day he had fed 4,000 men with 7 loaves of bread. After reviewing this with the disciples, he asks them in verse 21, “How is it that you still do not understand?” According to Mark 6:52 they had been missing what Jesus was trying to teach them through His miracles because of their hardness of heart. The Pharisee's had rubbed off on them quite a bit.

A short time later, Jesus restored sight to a blind man. The blind man could see for the first time – but he's not the only one who was made to see. It seems that Jesus' words about their spiritual blindness had been percolating in their minds, and the disciples realized that Jesus had a purpose for doing so many great works. He wasn't just a nice magician and they weren't just his groupies.

Jesus, probably knowing that they finally understood, turns to his disciples in Mark 8:27 and asks them “Who do men say that I am?” They answered by saying, “John the baptist; but some say Elijah, and others, one of the prophets.” Then Jesus makes the question personal, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter pipes up and answers, “You are the Christ!”

Finally they understood! Their hard hearts had obviously been impacted by Jesus' stern words. Now that they understood this, Jesus raised the bar and told them things He had never told them before, namely that “the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected... and killed, and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31) Peter couldn't believe it and if you can believe it, he rebuked Christ for His words. That's when Jesus rebukes Peter by saying, “Get behind me Satan!” The disciples finally understood who Jesus was, though they still didn't understand His purpose for coming.

It wasn't until his disciples understood who Jesus was that He was transfigured on the mountain. I think this is because Jesus wanted the disciples to come to faith without spelling everything out for them so that their faith would have depth – naturally grown rather than being grafted in. On the mountain when Jesus was transfigured, the Father speaks to the disciples by telling them, “This is my beloved Son. Hear Him.” (Mark 9:7) The implication seems to be that it was because of their lack of willingness that it took so long for them to learn who Jesus was. That was also why they couldn't understand the purpose of Christ's coming to suffer, die, and rise again.

When coming down the mountain with Peter, James, and John, Jesus finds the rest of his disciples amidst a large crowd of people fighting with the scribes, something they had never done before. We are not told what the disciples were fighting with the scribes about, but I can only infer that it was about the fact that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus sees this as an opportunity, and in the hopes of teaching the listening masses who He is, He calls out to the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” (Mark 9:16) But that's as far as He gets.

Sadly, we all have the same problem. None of us are good at doing what the Father told Peter, James, and John to do, to “hear Him.” We often become too focused on what we think is our greatest need that we don't listen to what we really need. That was the case with a distraught woman from the crowd. She literally cuts Jesus off and begs Him to exorcise a demon from her son. Once again, Jesus shows His irritation over the hardness of human hearts. He wants to teach them things that really matter, but they can't get their eyes off what is immediately in front of them. For this reason Jesus vents, “O faithless generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.” (Mark 9:19)

No one present seemed to be willing to listen so instead of doing what He wanted to do – teach them – He did what the masses wanted Him to do. He healed them.

When I read this passage of scripture I am amazed to see the patience God has with us. We are so unwilling to listen, and though He is so eager to teach, He is also so willing to bear with our weaknesses. He gently led the disciples to the truth of who He is, and then raised the bar to try to help them understand why He came. The rest of the world continued to only care about the fact the Jesus could heal their immediate distress, and though He wanted to teach them about their greatest need He never gave up on them.

He still patiently bears with the world today. As I look back on my life I see that He has led me along with the same gentle touch, though I'm sure my hardness of heart has irritated Him a time or two.

“Lord, thank you for being so patient and leading me in gentleness. I know that there are many times that must irritate you because of my hard heart, so Father help me to hear your Son. Give me a true vision of what my needs are so that I will not become distracted by what is immediately before me. In your gracious name I pray, Amen.”