Their Hearts were Hardenend

Mk. 6:52

"For they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened."

The disciples had just witnessed Jesus feeding the five thousand. They had seen Him take 5 loaves and 2 fishes, multiply it, and distribute it with 12 baskets left over. Even though all were fed miraculously, they still did not understand. Jesus put them in a boat to go across to the other side while He went to pray. As He was praying, the disciples were having a bad time in the boat because the wind had increased making rowing difficult. In fact, they were making no headway at all. So in the very early hours of the morning, Jesus came to them walking on the sea. Had they seen Jesus do this before? Yes, He had walked to them before. What was their response that time? "And they were filled with great fear..." Jesus said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you no faith?" Their issue here was faith vs. fear. I know that many times this is a hard issue for me even when I know Jesus' great power and have read the entire gospel account from beginning to end. Just think of these men seeing these events for the first time, and not understanding what was yet to come. The opportunity for fleshly fear would be rampant, and so it was!

But this time, their response was different. Even though they were terrified as they were before, they also were astonished over the loaves. Astonishment implies that what had happened had suspended their faith to the degree that it wasn't there. The event was so far out that it couldn't be comprehended as reality. Who knows what they thought? Was it trickery or even magic? But whatever it was, it had a negative effect on them. The passage says that their hearts were hardened. Sad! To put them at ease, Jesus spoke to them, "Take heart, It is I, do not be afraid." But His words did not make them take heart; instead, it hardened their hearts. Why would this be? What had happened?

I don't really know, but what I see is that Jesus didn't throw cast them off as spiritually inferior. They still were His disciples who traveled with Him on His ministry. Personally, I know there have been times when my faith was suspended. I was astonished at a turn of events struggling with the 'how' and the 'why' and the 'where is God now.' I know that my heart was hard for a time, but thankfully, it was not hard permanently. God was faithful to warm my heart, heal it, and make it useful for Him. Another lesson that I see is that a lack of faith leads to a hard heart. If I go down a faithless road, hardness will set in. And finally, no heart is static or stable. If it is not growing in faith, it is withering in hardness. It is a warning to me. I might be in the place where I see great things being accomplished for God, but unless my heart is walking by faith, hardness will set in. Being in the crowd was not enough for the disciples, and it isn't enough for me. I need to guard my heart by nourishing my faith and focusing who Jesus is. I need to take Him at His words and believe what He says even if it crosses what I think is reality. That's why its faith!

Father,

Grow my faith so that I may understand Your hand and plan at work in my life. Keep me constant in Your word and prayer so that my heart may always be pliable to Your molding.

In Jesus name,

Amen