I often share what I’m reading or pondering or have studied of a morning during my quiet time.

I do this not to boast that I do study, but because what I have learned or read is just too good not to share and because I long (read that deep desire) for others to share in the knowledge with me and to desire to seek out this knowledge on their own (the Christian speak for this is that I want to see you growing in the Lord and I believe this can’t happen unless you are actively and consistently reading your bible).

Even now it is all I can do not to go into my bedroom and wake my husband and share what I have just read. I long to discuss this with him while it is fresh on my mind and hear his thoughts…but since he is asleep I’ll share some of my thoughts with you. ( Aren’t you lucky.  )

Why I share (again):   I share in the hope that my reading of God’s word will inspire you to pick up your bible (not a book on marriage, or a book on this spiritual topic or that spiritual topic, or a book on this way to get your life in order, or that book on the best five steps to get free of whatever is keeping you in bondage…or whatever book is currently number one on the Lifeway booklist – they aren’t bad, in fact they are often helpful and good, but they shouldn’t be your first or your only source of information – the first source you turn to should be your bible. After you have read your bible you can turn to these other sources, but remember to always hold up them up to scripture to see if they agree with it) and read it.

Many of us read book after book but let the most important book sit quietly on the shelf gathering dust. Or we pick up that Most Important Book and read it but do not understand what we have read and we either put it down in frustration or we apply our own interpretation to the passage and completely miss what the passage is about. So (to combat this) one of the things that I love to do when I have a little extra time (and especially if I don’t understand a verse/ passage) is to look it up in a commentary. (I’ve come to love commentaries. And NO they are not dry and dreary. There are so many wonderful resources to choose from.) I know that most of you probably don’t have a single commentary sitting on your bookshelf, but lucky for you there are some fabulous resources right at your fingertips. One of which is Preceptsaustin.org.  I love this resource. Use it and you will be blessed.

This morning I read Mark 8:11-26.

Originally, I was going to share what this passage was about and how the commentary spoke to me, but now I’ve decided to let you figure it out for yourself. Here is your homework.

1.  Read Mark 8:11-26 in your own bible – not just on biblegateway or whatever online resource you use.

2.  Read this commentary by Steve Zeisler (Yes, I know it is long, but please endure to the end.)

Now tell me you weren’t blessed. Don’t you too feel like waking up your husband or wife or neighbor and telling them what you just read? Did the verses and the commentary speak to you? Maybe it didn’t speak to you or apply to your life in the same way it did mine, but I bet the commentary did enlighten you on the passage didn’t it? Did you know that leaven is often used as a reference for sin? Did you know what Jesus was talking about when he refused to give the Pharisees a sign? Did you too think about how often we are like the disciples and focus on bread and miss what the Lord is really doing in our lives or saying to us? Zeisler writes, “Their discussion of bread had no purpose and no value. They were distracted by silly things.” How often that is true. And what about v.17-21. Ouch. Did you notice that earlier in v. 12 the bible says “And he sighed deeply in his spirit…” And it says this earlier in Mark 7:34. Have you ever sighed like this? Do we even understand it?  Do we want Jesus sighing like this over us? And what about the blind man…I’ve always wondered why Jesus spit on His hands and then touched the man’s eyes. It wasn’t necessary, and yet Zeisler tells us it was done to show love for the man. I never would have known that without the commentary. See weren’t you blessed? (So much and so rich. I think I’ll read it again.)

Now, don’t you feel like you understand Mark 8:11-26 better? I know I do. And I still want to go in and wake my husband because there is so much more to share…

Then Jesus laid His hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.  –Mark 8:25

May your eyes be opened and your sight restored.