Mark: Seeing the forest

“You can’t see the forest for the trees.”

In Mark’s gospel, this is what is beginning to happen to the disciples, and if we’re honest in our evaluation of ourselves, this is where we often end up. Basically what this saying means is that we get fixated on the little details and fail to see the big picture — we see the trees, but we can’t see the forest.

Jesus has just demonstrated repeatedly to the disciples His divine power and authority (calming the storm, raising the dead, feeding the 5000, etc…), has shown them that if they put their trust in Him that they can continue on what He’s been doing (Mark 6:6-13), and yet they still don’t fully grasp who He is and what He’s about (see Mark 6:45-52). As it will be shown through the rest of the gospel, the disciples have their own thoughts about who Jesus should be and what He should do, and where they think they fit in. They’re focusing on their own ideas, their own individual trees, instead of seeing the forest that God has planted and is planting.

This is still a danger for us today. We can have thoughts and ideas of what God should be doing, our own “pet projects”, and fail to see where God is actually working and the direction He is going. We can get fixated on one particular thing and miss all the rest of what God is doing. I pray that I never see The Centre Community Church as God’s main work in Lindsay, but rather see it as just one tree in a forest that He is planting here in (our) His town.

Are there things in your life that you have fixated upon that have taken your eyes off of Jesus? Are you finding it hard to see the forest for the trees? Pray that God would expand your vision so that you can see and experience more of what He is doing all around you!

This Sunday we will be continuing this theme as we look at Mark 6:45-56. If you haven’t yet read through all of Mark, sit down sometime this week and read from the beginning up to chapter 7. I know that as you do you’ll be able to see more of the forest that Jesus planted. Hope you have a blessed week, and we’ll hope to see you on Sunday as we gather together as His people.

Pastor Mike