Today’s 333 Devotional: “Spiritual Discernment”

“Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?” (Mark 8:17b-18)

After feeding the 4,000, the religious leaders came seeking a sign, but Jesus said only an adulterous generation seeks after signs. Afterwards, Jesus took the disciples across the Sea of Galilee and said, “Beware of leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6)

Later Jesus said leaven represented hypocrisy (Luke 12:1).

The hypocrisy was that while the religious leaders knew the Scriptures about the coming Messiah, and how Jesus was fulfilling them, they still asked for a sign. In essence, they said they believed God’s word, but didn’t really believe when it came right down to the Scripture’s fulfillment.

But the disciples didn’t understand. They thought Jesus was referring to their having no bread. Jesus, responded to their question and discussion about such earthly matters by telling them that He was speaking about heavenly matters.

Didn’t they see His feeding the 4,000? Didn’t they know He could take care of their physical needs?

Unfortunately, their hearts were set upon earthly matters, that is, upon what they could see and hear. Therefore, their understanding on what truly mattered, that is, spiritual matters, suffered as a result.

Far too often we approach the Scriptures to hear and understand God’s word, but with the mindset of our earthly needs, not God’s eternal purposes and kingdom. And because we do, we more often times than not miss God’s word, will, and way for our lives.

We look at the promises of God found in His word and wonder how they apply to whatever we’re going through, what our needs may be at the moment rather than what God would want to teach us about His coming kingdom.

So, when we enter God’s word, let’s do so with the expectation to hear what the Spirit is saying, rather than what our flesh may be wanting.