I noticed something in the scripture for today. Please stay with me as I take the long way home. Peter and the disciples have witnessed many events with Jesus. They have watched Him heal the blind (Mark 10:46-52), raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:40-44), and feed five thousand men, which with women and children could have exceeded ten thousand (Matthew 14:13-21). They have watched Him walk to them on the water. Peter got out of the boat and began his own water walking venture to Jesus. He would have been successful but Peter took His eyes off of Jesus to look at the wind and begins to sink. Jesus sets him back in the boat and gets in the boat with them. Scripture says the wind stopped (Matthew 14:22-33). Still, after all of that, they aren’t getting it. Jesus must ask them who they thought He was. Peter being the most boisterous and talkative one speaks up, declaring, “You are Christ the Son of God.” Peter is commended by Jesus for recognizing what God was revealing to him (Matthew 16:15-17). Jesus then tells them he will go to Jerusalem, be killed and raised again. Instead of quietly “absorbing” the words of Jesus, Peter feels the need to take Jesus aside and rebuke Him for suggesting that He would be killed. He is immediately reprimanded as Jesus says, “Satan! Get thee behind me!” (Matthew 16:22-23)
Thought For Today:
In the midst of the stress of hearing Jesus say He would be killed they did not absorb the end of His remark. The very important words He had for them. Don’t we often do that? We get in the middle of a terrible crisis and we start crying out in fear, “Jesus! Where are You? You are missing in my crisis! You have abandoned me!” We become despondent and weary and anxiety takes us over. We lose sleep. We spend time pacing and wringing our hands. We start to think that we must figure a way out…alone…without Jesus. We forget the promises He has made to us that are written for our knowledge. Scripture is a reminder, that as He was in the boat with Peter, He knows where our storms are. He will get in the middle of our mess with us to.
The disciples would leave the cross that day. There must have been unblievable grief seeing their Lord, their friend…literally in shreds and dead. Heartbroken? Can we relate? They loved Him. They had plans for victory through Him. A future walking with Him. That dream is gone before their eyes…on the way to a dark tomb. Their beloved Jesus is dead and gone. All hope has left with Him. They were afraid and not sure what to do next. Can’t we relate to that emotional breakdown? We hold up in the house, curtains pulled, sitting in fear and tears. Seems like there is no where to turn. Nothing to hold onto assuring us that we will come out of this situation.
They had not remembered that Jesus said He would be raised. They would suffer under a cloak of grief, hidden in their homes until He appeared to them (Luke 24:36-40). That is why it is so important for us to search His word daily. Learn what is written there for us. When the storms come we have His words of assurance. We have all of His promises for our daily review. Reminders of what He said He would do for those who belong to Him.
Scripture For Today:
Matthew 16:21
21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. (NKJV)
John 20:8-9
8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. (NKJV)
Psalm 78:1
Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. (NKJV)
Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! I am amazed that we can read a scripture many times and still find new information. Thank You Father! Sometimes, we get so desperate in the middle of our crisis that we not only do not listen for Your voice but we can’t remember the promises You have made to us. Help us to search Your word daily. Let us go deep there, so that we can recall Your words for moments when panic sets in. We need to feel Your presence when the storms toss our boats of life to and fro. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
© 2015 Kathy Ledbetter all rights reserved