The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Mark 6:52, “…they had not gained any insight from the incident of the

loaves, but their heart was hardened.”

How many times have I told you what this means, and you still don’t

understand? I’m sure someone along the line has said something like

that to you. They sure have to me! We hear what they say, but we

just don’t grasp the understanding of it. Why does this occur?

In previous verses in Mark 6, Jesus has fed the 5,000 with five loaves

and two fish. He then instructed the disciples to go by boat to the

other side of the sea, as he dispersed the crowd. Somewhere between

three and six in the morning, a great storm came up. Jesus approached

the boat walking on the water. The disciples thought He was a ghost

and were scared stiff! But, when He got into the boat, the wind stopped!

The disciples were “beside themselves –astonished, amazed!” Look at

what they had experienced: 5,000 men were fed with five loaves and

two fish; Jesus had approached them walking on the water; the wind

ceased to rage when He got into the boat –all of this; yet they were

dumbfounded!!! Why? “…they had not gained any insight from the

incident of the loaves…” Their hearts were callous, hardened; their

minds were closed and insensible. But why?

The word “hardened” means “judicial hardening, which results from as a

consequence of refusing to listen to God…” Does that definition give us

any insight into why we can read the Bible and witness things that only

the LORD can do, yet not understand? We need to evaluate everything

in the light of the spiritual.

A friend of mine related some tremendous experiences he had encountered.

When I asked how come they so often occurred in his life, he said, “You

have them, too. You don’t notice them because you’re not looking for them.”

Could that be true of you? Why am I sick? Why did I have that wreck?

Why was I overlooked for the position? We fail to understand the LORD’s

working in our lives because we’re too focused on things not spiritual.

Solomon said, “Understanding is a fountain of life to him who has it.” (Pro.

16:22). And David said, “When I pondered to understand this, it was

troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I

perceived their end” (Psalm 73:16). Maybe today in church the LORD has

a message for you. Listen carefully and He will give you understanding!

Our loving prayers are offered for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”