Time to Go Deeper

Scripture – Mark 8:31-33: ³¹He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. ³²He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Reflection: The disciples have come to the point of calling Jesus the Christ – the anointed one promised by God through the prophets – the one who will save Israel. (Mark 8:29) Now that they have that awareness, He brings them into a deeper understanding. “He then began to teach them…”

Accepting Christ as Savior is a great experience. I realize I have the gift of eternal life in Him. Because it’s not based on how good I’ve been, it’s nothing I can lose by not being good enough. It’s a gift from God. And it’s mine (and hopefully, yours) forever.

Accepting Him as Lord is a different experience. As I begin following Him I have to practice letting Him be the primary director of my life. I let Him take control. That’s where I struggle, because I want to stay in control. In this passage, Jesus began leading them into some new ways of understanding His mission. Peter didn’t like what he was hearing. But as Jesus pointed out, the things of God lead us into areas quite different than the things of people.

Lord, as I follow you, imperfectly as I do, I still find your way to be the best. Keep leading. And keep me open to your leading. Take control my heart at a deeper level today.

An Invitation: For anyone interested in sharing their personal reflections from this week’s readings, you are invited to come by the Tim Hortons donut shop at Dix-Toledo and Northline in Southgate tomorrow morning at 9:45am. We’ll have a cup of coffee and see what the Lord has been teaching us this week.

Reading for Sunday, February, 24:

Scripture – Mark 8:34-38: ³⁴Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? ³⁷Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”