“Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”
(Mark 6:51-52)
I take a lot of comfort in knowing that the apostles were slow learners, too. They saw Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead, and feed thousands, but still were astonished by His ability to take care of them when the boat started to rock.
This tendency to forget previous lessons from God is why we need to do two things regularly – give thanks and study.
Gratitude, the giving of thanks, is an act that constantly reminds us of what God has done for us previously. Our prayers should regularly include thanksgiving (see Php 4:6) and a lack of gratitude is a precursor to a society forgetting about God entirely (see Rom 1:21f).
The second task, study, is the act of purposefully bringing to remembrance things that we may already know. It isn’t enough to read the Scriptures once, it must be a steady diet for our souls. Peter recognized the need for remembrance when he wrote 2 Peter:
“Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,”
(2 Peter 1:12-13)
We are forgetful creatures. Gratitude and study are a wonderful inoculation against our hearts hardening.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites