Daily Gospel Reflection for February 18, 2020

Reflection by Virginia Pillars Today's Gospel: Mark 8:14-21 During a difficult season in my life, parts of me presumed God abandoned our family. We faced health issue after health issue. Physically and mentally exhausted, I shook my spiritual fist at God and screamed, “Why are you doing this to our family? Haven’t we been faithful to you?” Like the disciples in this passage, I suffered from spiritual amnesia. I forgot the answered prayers I’d received in the past. I looked at our situation and concluded God no longer cared. My forgotten memory twisted into a bad attitude. Jesus cautioned the disciples, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” In other words, a bad attitude. He asked them if they had eyes that didn’t see or ears that didn’t hear? He reminded them about the miracles of feeding five thousand one day and four thousand another day. He spelled it out for them as He asked them how many baskets of leftovers they’d gathered, “Do you still not understand?” As I read this passage, I thought, “How can the disciples forget those miracles?” It wasn’t long before I planted a palm to my forehead. Hadn’t I done exactly the same thing? I had questioned the goodness of God. I had forgotten the times I’d had asked for His guidance with problems in the past and received answers. I wanted to restore my spiritual memory. I read more Scripture, delved into books that challenged me spiritually, and prayed. Through grace, my face tilted back to Jesus and focused on His promise, “I will not leave you orphaned; I will come to you.” John 14:18. Jesus waits with mercy and forgiveness during our times of spiritual amnesia if we confess and turn back to Him.

Ponder:

Is there a time you had spiritual amnesia? How can you restore your memory?

Pray:

Dear Lord, Thank You for answered prayers and the grace to see Your hand in my life. I ask Your forgiveness for the times my blindness turned me away from You.