Monday - The Gospel According To Mark

Mar 16, 2026

Welcome to Daily Prayer. Today Jesus sighs deeply over a sign-seeking generation that is only testing him and warns his disciples against leaven that hardens the heart and blinds the eyes.

As we begin our time together, let’s quiet our hearts and minds before the LORD.

Father, we want to know you.

Give us eyes to see clearly.

Lord Jesus, you are the patient teacher who keeps reminding us when we forget.

You are the one who warns us of what will rob us of life and joy.

You are the one who can take, bless, break and do wonders with anything we give to you.

Lord, we surrender to you.

We give everyone and everything to you.

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love that we would rejoice and be glad all our days.

O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.

A Scripture Reading from Mark 8:11-21

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

Jesus has just fed four thousand and the Pharisees still demand a sign. He sighs deeply—the same word used when he healed the deaf man, and refuses. He gets in the boat and leaves them.

Then, in the boat with his own disciples, he warns them, “Watch out. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” Leaven is what causes bread to rise. It is small, invisible, and spreads through the entire batch. This is a warning about the influence of different ways of thinking and seeing the world. Another significant thing, every year the feast of passover and unleavened bread, the Jewish people are required to remove all the leaven from their homes. Here Jesus, about a week out from the feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread uses this picture to warn that certain ways of thinking shape everything—he highlights the leaven of the Pharisees (hypocrisy, legalism, their spiritual pride and self-righteousness) and he warns of the leaven of Herod (power and control, self-preservation and status). These ways look very different but have the same root. They are human centered ways of thinking that trust religion or power instead of Christ and his cross.

A Prayer of Adoration:

Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd and the true Bread from Heaven. Lord, you can take our small offerings and multiply it beyond what we could ask or think. You can do in us and for us what we could never do without you. You know what we need. We adore you for all the amazing wonders that you have done. There are so many things for us to remember. We thank you and praise you for our life, our breath, our daily bread. We remember the sign of Jonah. You were buried for three days and were raised again for us and for our salvation. You are the passover lamb that was slain for us. You are the first fruits offering. Lord, we forsake the leaven of this world and receive you as the bread of life.

A Prayer of Confession:

Lord, You warned your disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. Forgive us for allowing pride, fear, and the cares of this world to shape our hearts and blind us to you.

Lord, cleanse us from seeking our identity in what we do, in our image, our status, or in control, help us trust fully in what you have done for us. Forgive us for not taking seriously the danger of these other ways of seeing life.

We repent of pretending, performing, and pursuing comfort and control instead of your kingdom.

Lord, forgive us for how quickly we forget your goodness. Today, we turn our gaze to you and ask you to renew our hearts and minds.

A Prayer of Trust:

Lord, we trust that even when we don’t fully understand that you are patient with us.

We trust that you are still teaching us, reminding us, still opening our eyes to see more clearly.

We trust that you will provide what we need today.

When we are offered other ways of thinking and other ways of meeting our needs, we trust that your way is better. We look to you for life.

We trust that you will take what we give to you and you will put it to work for your kingdom purposes. We trust that you have the words of eternal life and we receive and welcome your Word today.

A Prayer of Intercession:

Lord, we pray that you would open our eyes to see and our ears to hear from you.

Keep us from the evil one and from the spirit of this age. We don’t want to compromise.

Keep our hearts tender. Guard us from the leaven of hypocrisy that looks spiritual but lacks your power.

Give us grace to be watchful for the different leaven that would influence us and keep us from trusting you or embracing your ways.

Give us your thoughts Lord. We want to be led by your Spirit.

A moment of reflection:

Lord, what leaven, what voices, or what influences do I need to be careful of in this season?

As we listen to the passage again, let’s listen for what the Lord may be highlighting for us today:

And now Our Weekly Passage to Memorize together:

Mark 8:34

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”