Devotion:
Read Matthew 16:21-23.
Long before it was time to go to Jerusalem, Jesus began to let his disciples know what was going to happen there. He would be brought before the Jewish leaders and would suffer and die. (I wonder if they even heard the last part of what he said: “...and on the third day be raised to life.”) I am guessing that Peter was not the only one who resisted that forecast. He was just the one who voiced that resistance. As they continued along the journey and Jesus continued to tell them about this, it took a lot of faith and courage to keep following him. It took a lot of faith to believe in him and his mission, even though it was going to end that way. And it took a lot of courage, because being his disciples would most likely put them in danger as well.
Sometimes we may sense the Spirit leading us toward situations that look impossible, because the end of getting involved in them looks like it can only be negative. It does not appear to have a good ending, no matter what we do. But our Easter faith tells us that even when something comes to an end, no matter how that happened, God can still bring new life from it. So when you are tempted to say “Lord, I’m not getting involved there because it cannot have a good ending,” remember that God always has the final say in what might come from any assumed ending.
Personal Worship Option:
List three seemingly impossible situations into which God might call you to go. Which one would you most be willing to try?
No comments:
Post a Comment