Peter gets it. Then he doesn’t.

He rightly states that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. (Matt 16:16).

He then rebukes the Christ, the Son of the Living God, after Jesus tells the disciples He will suffer many things, be killed and rise on the third day (Matt 16:21-22).

Can you imagine rebuking the Son of the Living God when you don’t like the plan?

How could Peter do that?

Maybe we know.

Maybe we actually know what it’s like because we have done it ourselves.

Maybe we’ve not said it out loud, but we’ve certainly been upset when God does something, or allows something, we don’t like or understand.

And maybe, like Peter, it’s because we’ve been more mindful of the things of man than the things of God (Matt 16:23).

We so often take the short view rather than the eternal one. We forget God can work hard things together for good.

Literally, as I typed that last sentence, I received a text from my son, Ben, about scripture he had just read.

The text said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”
Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Ben went on to say “ Gosh I needed to read this! The Lord has all of this! We need to trust Him, not lean on just the info we can see, and He will refresh us! “

Ben is taking the long view about a hard situation that we don’t like or understand, and he is reminding me to do the same.

When we remember to deny ourselves and our need to like or understand a situation, we are “taking up our crosses” and following Jesus. (Matt 16:24)

And it is there that we find life! Life to keep going! Life to trust the Lord! Life to find joy even in hard things! (See Matt 16:25)

Oh friends, what a Savior! Let’s surround ourselves with people who are in the Word and who will remind us of truth. Let’s help each other keep our eye on the HOPE that is Jesus.

readMatthew

kimjaggers.com