I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Mark 8-9

Today’s passage starts with the feeding of the four thousand.  Just a short time earlier, Jesus had fed the five thousand.  This time starts much the same way: with Jesus more or less instructing the disciples to feed the crowd.  Despite having seen Jesus feed the five thousand the disciples responded much the same way they had the first time, “How can we find enough food to feed them here in the wilderness?”  Even after this, they still worried about not having enough food and argued over whose fault it was that they did not have enough with them.  How often are we guilty of the same lack of faith?

After Peter, speaking on behalf of the Twelve, declared that Jesus was the Messiah Jesus began explaining how He would die and rise from the dead.  Perhaps I am reading this wrong, but it seems to me that Jesus was likely explaining to the disciples how His death in this manner and then resurrection was necessary in order to accomplish God’s purpose.  Reading further into the passage, Peter thought that Jesus was saying these things because He thought His ministry was a lost cause and Peter sought to lift His spirits.  I suspect that Peter told Jesus that He should have more faith in His ministry and warned Him that such negative talk would discourage His followers.  Jesus responds to Peter by telling him that Peter’s view goes directly counter to God’s.  Then Jesus gathers His disciples and the crowd to tell them that those who wish to follow Him must be willing to suffer and die to do God’s will.  Often times, serving God will lead to suffering and death.  In fact, sometimes accomplishing God’s purpose in our lives will require us to suffer and perhaps die.  We should embrace those situations as opportunities,  If we believe Jesus’ teaching we will be eager toe experience the suffering which so often accomplishes doing His will.