51B And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. (Mark 6:51b-56)
Here we have a summary report about Jesus' healing ministry. Everyone and anyone who came to him were made well (56). Word even spread about the woman who had been healed by touching Jesus' garment (see Mark 5:28), and soon people were touching the fringe of his garment to be healed (56). This report is Mark's way of giving us a sense of the general atmosphere surrounding Jesus' life at that time and telling us that Jesus did more than he could record.
But notice the response of the disciples while on the boat. They were utterly astounded (51). They did not understand about the loaves (52). Their hearts were hardened (52).
Picture it. There they were. They might have even been seated in the midst of twelve baskets of bread Jesus had created (Mark 6:43). But because of the hardness of their hearts, they had no idea what those loaves signified (52).
In our struggle, we must allow our hearts to be soft enough to understand what Jesus has accomplished. It's one thing to step out to try to obey, feeling how hard it is to obey, and know he is powerful enough to help you obey. But it's another thing entirely to believe that he wants to help you. How can we learn of his willingness to help us?
For this, we must remember the cross.
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31–32)
With the knowledge of the cross in our mind's eye, we can know, with certainty, that our God wants to help us in the all things of life. He can help us overcome. He wants to help us obey.
In conclusion, let's become evermore a people who run to him for his help in our struggle to obey.
We want to follow him. We cannot do it with only our own power. But his power is enough, and, as we look to the cross, we can know he is not only able but willing to come to our aid.
Let us cry out to him. Let us pursue the spiritual disciplines he has given us in prayer, Scripture meditation, worship singing, community, confession, and the like. These help us tap into his power. We must. Because only with him will we get to the other side.
***
For the entire Mark series, go here. Thank you.
