Rising

Mark 8:31-33 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.  And he said this plainly.  And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me Satan!  For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

 Jesus to be taken and killed and rise again.

 

It’s interesting that what Jesus rebuked Peter for was “not setting his mind on the things of God”.

               

Peter’s mind was set on fear –

                                Fear of losing Jesus

Not realizing that this “losing” would lead to finding beyond imagination.

                                finding, indwelling, filling.

 

His fear was pushing away God’s will

                salvation

                standing before God as son

                peace with God

                eternal life in heaven

                hope

 

His fear made him set his own desires above God’s desires.

His fear was also pride.

 

Peter knew better than Jesus.  Peter set himself higher than Jesus.

 

Peter was afraid of God’s plan.  He didn’t like God’s plan.

It was going to hurt; it was going to hurt Peter and hurt Jesus.

 

Peter loved Jesus.

But Peter acted like Satan.

 

Jesus loved Peter.  Jesus called Peter.

Jesus rebuked Peter

                for getting in the way

                for trying to lead

                for having Satan’s attitude

                for pride

                for fear

                for setting his mind on the things of men.

 

But Peter was a man, where else could his mind be?

 

Peter was a man, but he was called by God, and he was called to set his mind on the things of God.

Not on his own fears

Not on his own ideas

Not even on his own ideas of loving Jesus and serving Him.

But on God’s ideas of how Peter was to love and serve Him.

 

And maybe, on the rest of the story.  Not the suffering and rejecting and killing,

but on the rising again.

 

Maybe that would have changed the fear and the pride

                                                into a right love

                                                and a right serve

                                                and a right setting of the mind for Peter.

 

What am I afraid of?

What do I stand to lose?

What do I protect and hold on to that should be held loosely and left to God?

What is the cost of setting my mind on those things and forgetting the things of God?

Will I hold on to my plan and lose sight of God?

When the suffering captures my mind and my heart, will I forget the rising? 

Will I forget the hope which comes after?

 

 

©Rebecca A Givens, 03/03/14