Bible reading plan Bible reading plan

Here We Grow Again

26 February 2021

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Sometimes a breakthrough comes to me through some new revelation of the Lord and His word. Mainly, though, I need to be reminded of truths that I have been told, but that I am not living with at that point in my life. As a teacher, I know the power of repetition, but even hearing something again and again doesn’t always mean living it.

 

Have you heard the one about the pastor starting out at his new church? The church had gone through three pastors in five years. The worship leader had quit a few months previously. The church was in a mess. That first Sunday, the new pastor taught an amazing message about the importance of loving one another. The next week, he gave the same message - word for word. He didn’t seem to see the uncomfortable shuffling; he remained oblivious to the occasional disapproving ‘Tut!’ from some of his flock. Some people began grumble to themselves; a few thought that perhaps he was in a spin following his relocation to the church. Some start thinking about the next advert for a new pastor. When it happened for the third week, one of the congregation approached him and told him in no uncertain terms that this, being the third time he had heard the same message on loving one another, needed to be the last. He finished by informing the pastor that the whole church expected to see a change next week. “Oh, so do I!” replied the Pastor, “Why else would I keep repeating the same thing?”

 

Jesus constantly taught the same message to the people around him. In this week’s chapters, Jesus repeatedly tries to tell his disciples about his coming death (Mark 8:31, 9:31-32, 10:32), but the disciples just don’t understand and not one of them is willing to ask Jesus what it all means. The disciples witness Jesus’ authority and power, but still argue over which of them is the greatest (Mark 9:33-37). They see Him miraculously feed 5000 people then 4000, but miss the truth about the pharisees and Herod in Mark 8:14-21 because they worry that they didn’t bring a picnic with them on the boat. No wonder Jesus says to them ‘Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? You have eyes – can’t you see? You have ears – can’t you hear? Don’t you remember anything at all?’ He reminds them of the 12 baskets left over from the feeding of the 5000, and the seven baskets left over from the feeding of the 4000. God’s power and provision are abundant – more than the people asked for or could imagine – but that doesn’t stop the disciples arguing about bread.

 

I find it easy to identify with the disciples here. God often has to remind me of certain truths that I have let fall on the wayside. I skip through familiar scriptures with an inadvertent disregard for the truths that I need to hear again and embed in my heart and mind. I can dismiss something that is said to me because I ‘know’ it, and not stop long enough to thing about whether I am living it.

 

Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that ‘This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.’ It’s so encouraging that God is willing to speak again so that I can grow in my relationship with Him. My pride and ego need to be put where they belong – dead on a cross – so that I can keep moving on with the LORD. If I need to be reminded of something again, I shouldn’t dismiss it with a ‘Here we go again’ disregard. I need to seek the new revelation and the forgotten truth in every scripture. Let’s take every opportunity to grow in our faith. Here we grow again!


Photo of Mark Melhado

Mark Melhado
Youth Leader
GoChurch Manchester