Today's Bible reading is the 8th chapter of the Book of Mark. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+8&version=NASB

We can be a hard lot to get through to. They had seen Him miraculously feed the five thousand on one occasion and four thousand on the other. And now, traveling in a boat with Jesus, He hears the disciples discussing among themselves that they have no bread. He then asks them a series of questions to challenge their thinking. He first asks them why they are even having this discussion about their lack of bread. He asks them if they have seen but don't understand. He asks them if they have hardened hearts. He asks them if they have eyes but do not see and have ears but do not hear. He asks them if they do not remember the feeding of the five thousand or the feeding of the four thousand and how there were baskets full of leftovers although He had fed so many with so little. His questions said it all and it appears that they were left speechless. Mark records no response from either of them to any of the questions.

We are often quick to second guess the actions of the disciples and even be critical of their lapses in faith. But we have the finished work of Christ on Calvary. We have a resurrected Savior. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit, our "Helper". We have the precious word of God. And yet despite all that we have in Christ, living by faith and not by sight is a challenge for each one of us. The Lord Jesus still asks us similar questions to those asked of His disciples in today's text. Through the questions He seems intent on telling us to believe Him, to trust Him and to live by faith in Him.