Seems Like Something I Would Do

     "If I had a nickel for every time I have forgotten something, I would be rich." -me. Let's take a look at the Good News for today, and then we can talk about my forgetfulness.

Mark 8:14-21

Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 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 hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

     Yes, forgetting the bread and then worrying about what to do next even with Jesus sitting on the next boat cushion seems like something I would do. Maybe you have also said, "Where is my phone?" It is in my hand.

     I can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus' voice. It must have been hard, even for a divinely human Jesus to remain patient with the disciples. They have seen the miracles, in their front row seats. They can make out the detail of Jesus' cloak, all the way to the healing fringe. They were the ones counting up the baskets of the abundant bread bits. "Do you not yet understand?!" strikes to the heart of the issue. It seems ridiculous that the disciples did not realize the abundant providing presence that was flesh and blood, right there in the boat with them.

     Actually, I am feeling a little better about the times that I have a hard time remembering the thing I wanted to make sure I remembered to do. Yes, sure, I can set alarms and write sticky notes. They help, but the disciples seem to run on another level of foolish at times. They make me feel better. Surely we could have done better. The news seems to hint at otherwise. There are countless stories of "we should have noticed the signs..." from climate change to apartment building collapses.

     This got me thinking about how often the questions of Jesus are timeless. What sorts of things do we not yet understand? In what ways do we forget that Jesus is in the boat with us? Yes, sure, we all forget things. Why, though, do we forget the big things? What exactly are we unclear about? It seems silly, but I wonder if we don't trust the "magic tricks" of a miraculous God. Calling it "blind faith" only seems to make it harder to trust.

     If God is for us and with us, providing for us and yielding an abundance, then what does it mean when we run out of something? Coping with shortfalls in any category is fear and worry inducing. If we can remain calm and trusting, we also have to deal with our industry identity--if God is providing then what are we doing with our lives. This is the really hard part--what do we do? If God is in control, then what do we DO when it doesn't seem like it? The Good News for today is that God is always in control and providing. We just forget. We forget a lot of things. We even forget the really big and important things.

Remind us, O God, of whose we are and where you are in our world. Calm our troubled minds and soothe our restlessness to trust in you more deeply. Show us again your abiding presence. We praise you and give you all the glory. In your endless Name, we pray. Amen.