Contemplative Bible Reading

Mark 6:51-52 (New International Version)

51 Then he (Jesus) climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

A little background

In Mark chapter 6, Jesus had fed 5,000 men (10,000 people?) with five loaves of bread (modern-day biscuits) and two fish. Then he had appeared to his followers walking on water. Two amazing, miraculous events!

Now on to these verses

The followers of Jesus were in a boat rowing in a strong wind. As the verses above show, when Jesus climbed into the boat his followers were amazed that the wind died.

Pause a moment – Jesus just fed 10,000 people with five biscuits. Jesus just walked across a lake on the surface of the water. Given all this, his followers were still amazed that the wind quit blowing. Were they so blind? Are we so blind today?

The words that strike me in these verses is that his followers did not understand – a function of the mind, the brain. They didn’t understand because their hearts were hard – a function of emotion, the heart.

Our hearts are connected to minds. Our emotions are connected to our thoughts.

“Calm down and think,” is an admonition I have often heard. It is one I have often said, as if we can disconnect our thoughts from our emotions. I guess we cannot.

God, allow my emotions to be open so I can think more clearly and see the miracles you perform every day.