Leviticus 19:1-20:21
Mark 8:11-38
Psalm 42:1-11
Proverbs 10:17
Mark 8:32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Jesus spoke plainly to them about what was going to happen to Him and Peter didn't like what He was saying. I can think of times that Jesus has told me things that I didn't like what He was saying. I don't know if you would consider it a rebuke but I sure did tell Him what I thought about it.
Mark 8:33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
And every time it was for the same reason as Peter here. I had in mind human concerns. My concerns for myself and for what I thought other would think or do.
Mark 8:38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
I try to be much more aware of what God is saying to me and to not argue with Him. But there are times that I have thought. Maybe I should say something to that person about Jesus but it feels like it could be my idea and I also don't have a sense of what I should say so I don't. I always wonder at those times if I missed out on an opportunity to join God in some work that He is doing. I also wonder if my lack of response is also due to me having human concerns on my mind or in some way being ashamed.
I feel pretty confident that if anyone asked me if I am a Christian I would say boldly that I am but Peter thought that he would never deny Jesus either. I guess that doesn't not mean that he was ashamed of Jesus or His words otherwise Jesus would not have restored him as the rock the church is built on. And my lack of keeping Him and His word to myself is not out of being ashamed but I do think it is out of human concern. I do think it is something missing in my heart.
Psalm 42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
I must get myself right to be able to rightly share Jesus and His word. This has always been one of my favorite word pictures in the bible. I think of it every time I see the creek running behind my house. I can see a deer that was just running through the forest in the heat of the day. Her tongue is dry and she is panting in the heat. She reaches a cool stream of living (running) water and her thirst is quenched. That is the way I want to thirst for God. As I travel through the forest of evil that is this life. A world where many people doubt God and would ridicule and criticize faith. People who would see a believers suffering and say "where is your God?"
Lord please give me a soul thirst for you that drives me on to you searching for the living water that will refresh my soul. In doing that I will not have concern for things of this world. Human concerns will not matter to me. And when you speak plainly to me I will be so focused on you not those human concerns that I will receive it in obedience and trust.
Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
Because when I do not receive what you say with obedience and trust my words and actions could not only lead me in the wrong direction but it may lead others astray as well.
Lord may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always pleasing in your sight O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.
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