Monday, September 21, 2020

Matthew 16:5-12 Forget about Forgetting

Matthew 16:5  And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they forgot to bring bread.

 

Christians know all about that they aren’t supposed to worry about things, but they do. 

Why?

We’re human.  Not that it’s human to worry, but it’s human to have things to worry about.

Like forgetting things.

We think that there is just too much stuff going on in life that it’s easy for us to miss something important, forget something that needs to be done, and we pay the price.

So we worry.

In this passage, which is really about something else, Jesus addresses this problem of worrying. 

The disciples were worried that Jesus was upset that they forgot to bring bread.

And what was Jesus’ response? 

“Why are you discussing among yourselves that you don’t have any bread?”  That word ‘discussing’ can also be translated as ‘considering, pondering, reasoning, arguing.’  OK, this was on their mind and what was concerning them.

But Jesus’ response goes on.  He calls them ‘little faith ones.’  Or as some translations put it, “Ye of little faith.”

They forgot to take bread.  So they didn’t have any bread.

And Jesus said: why is this bothering you?  Don’t you understand or remember when we fed the 5,000?  He didn’t just say: Don’t you remember, but also: don’t you understand? 

And again, when they fed the 4,000?  How is it that you don’t understand?

What didn’t they understand?

That faith in God covers a multitude of human foibles.

When you walk in faith, meaning that you believe that God is in your life and leading your life, you don’t have to keep looking at yourself, hoping that you get everything right, that you make all the right decisions, that you don’t forget anything, or don’t screw anything up.

God doesn’t want you always second-guessing yourself and wondering about getting everything right.

He wants you to approach life boldly, rejoicing that God is leading you and can pick up the loose ends, just like He fed 5,000 people with a few loaves and fewer fish.

 

 get about Forgetting

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