Read: “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” (Mark 8:19) “And you still don’t understand?” he asked them. Mark 8:21

Examine: Once during the ministry of Jesus, the disciples had forgotten to bring enough bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. “Take care,” Jesus warned them, “and be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” They started discussing among themselves: “He says this because we don’t have any bread.”

Jesus knew what they were saying, so he asked them, “Why are you discussing about not having any bread? Don’t you know or understand yet? Are your minds so dull? You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear? Don’t you remember when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand people? How many baskets full of leftover pieces did you take up?”

“Twelve,” they answered. “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand people,” asked Jesus, “how many baskets full of leftover pieces did you take up?” “Seven,” they answered.

“And you still don’t understand?” he asked them.

Application: Jesus has performed an astounding miracle. Have the disciples fully noticed? Have they taken stock? Have you taken stock of the miracles done in your life? When trouble or lack comes in our life Jesus is expecting us to meditate on what the Lord has done in the past. Miracles of old should lead us to trust in the current troubled times.

It was the expectation of the Lord that the disciples had faith and understanding from the miracles that Jesus had done in their life. Miracles of past should lead to faith and calmness for the present and confidence for the future.

Decision: Lord Jesus, I pray that I will have heavenly wisdom, to see thing in the way Lord is expecting me to. Teach us the way of the Lord. The question Jesus asked you still do not understand?  how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up? How easily I forget the provision and protection of the Lord in the past. Oh, that I may draw strength from the works of the Lord that I have seen in the past. And trust in the Lord even today.