Something I hadn’t noticed before, in the morning scripture reading.  Follow this now:

Mark chapter 6.  Jesus’s disciples watch him feed 5000+ people with five loaves and two fish, which was enough to feed everyone and leave 12 baskets of leftovers.  Later that night, as the disciples cross the Sea of Galilee, Jesus comes walking across the lake to them.  Mark writes that “they were completely astounded, because they had not understood about the loaves.” What hadn’t they understood?  Mark doesn’t say. He just leaves it there.

A few days later, in Mark 8, they’re faced with a hungry crowd of 4000+.  Again, “What will we feed them?  We only have seven loves of bread and a few fish.”  Catch that now – – not long before, they had seen Jesus feed more people with less food.  And they had just seen him bring a dead girl back to life.  And still, “Whatever will we do with all these people asking for dinner?’

So, once again, they watch Jesus feed thousands with almost nothing.  And had seven large baskets left.  What did they do with the leftovers? Dunno.  It doesn’t say. Why do I ask?

Because that evening, they’re back in the boat, with Jesus this time.  And whatever they did with the leftovers didn’t include thinking to bring some along for future meals, because “they had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat.”  “Hey, who was supposed to load all the bread?”  “You idiot!  You left the bread back there!”  “NOW what are we gonna eat?”  “Well, we certainly can’t make this one little loaf go very far.”

Are you seeing the irony?  They’re with the man – – THEY’RE WITH THE MAN – – who, in the last few days, has fed over 10,000 people with just 12 loaves of bread and a few fish! And they can’t figure out how the dozen of them will get by?

Jesus hears them arguing about the bread, and he addresses them.  “Are you the same guys that were with me the last few days?  How much did we have left from the 5000 meal?  How much from the 4000 meal?”  Apparently they answer him with some kind of deer-in-the-headlights look, because he then asks them, “Don’t you understand yet?”

So, how can these guys be so clueless for so long? With all they’ve seen Jesus do – – for them, for everyone else? How can they see him do the things only God can do, day after day, and not catch on?

Sometimes it seems that God has a recurring note on his day planner to remind me that he’s still caring for me, still watching over me, still in charge of life – – probably because he knows how often I let circumstances or events draw my attention away from him.  How will we ever pay that bill?  What will we do to get by?  Why can’t I catch a break?  When will it all get better?

And God has to slap the back of my head and say, “Hey!  Are you the same guy who’s been with me all this time?  How often have I failed to care for you?  How many times did I let you down?  How often have I done anything other than lead you toward the best thing for you . . . when you’d listen and follow? And even when you didn’t?”

You know the old saying: “Misery loves company.”  Well, ignorance loves company, too. I could hang with the disciples.  I think I’d fit right in.