Observe the text – Mark 8 Jesus seems to be very tired in the chapter. The Pharisees come out and argue with him (again!). This makes him sigh deeply and he departs again by boat, having just gotten there… The disciples can’t figure out what he is saying about the ‘yeast’ of the Pharisees and Jesus says a few times, ‘Do you not yet understand?’… Peter knows that Jesus is the Son of God but rebukes him, causing him to say, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God but of me.’
Jesus is the only one who knows what is going on, who knows whereof he teaches, who knows what will happen to him, and who knows what it means to follow him. Did he feel lonely in all this? So he sighs.
Application Maybe it would be good if I sometimes stopped asking him for things. Maybe it would be good for me to listen. Maybe it would be good for me to find out what he is thinking about, what he wants for me and the world. To stop asking for a sign of his Lordship and care (of which, by the way, I have lots).
Life application Listening to God takes some time. But it’s worth doing. So take time to pray and just be silent for a while.
Prayer Help me to listen.