This week’s Advent theme: Overcoming Our Fear
Today’s scripture: Matthew 16:21-26 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Keith Phillips):
One week before Thanksgiving, 1998, I was 70 miles from home, chairing a meeting of the Executive Committee for the 84 churches in the Southwest Area of the American Baptist Churches of Indiana. I got back late and the parsonage was dark; but I thought nothing of it, until I discovered the typewritten note that began: “This evening I and the children have moved out. I have filed for a divorce…”
I was wholly unprepared, not expecting anything like that would ever to happen to our marriage and family. Initially, I was in shock. The pain was as though my heart had been ripped out and stomped on. I was frightened. I had no idea what the future would bring. Within the next three months I lost my marriage, my family, my community of faith, my neighbors, my job, and my vocation. I had no control of the avalanche of events that enveloped me. My status quo had become status chaos.
The one thing I didn’t lose, though, was my relationship with the Lord. Jesus and I had been partners from the time of my conversion. Now I had absolutely nothing to contribute to the partnership. The only thing I could do was to trust God and walk into the future one step at a time as God led me. That has been a blessed lesson for me as God changed all the previous plans I’d had for my life and ministry.
Simon Peter was one of Jesus’ partners. In the verses just before this passage, he, for the first time, confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. And Jesus says that the church would be built upon the rock of that confession and the keys to the Kingdom of God would be given to Peter and those who came after him.
Then, just moments later, when Jesus says that the cost of the Kingdom would be suffering and sacrifice, Peter protests that that can’t be right; and Jesus calls him an instrument of Satan.
“Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. ‘Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.’”
Amen!
Thought for the day: I’m no particular fan of Mariah Carey, but her Christmas CD is part of my music rotation for the season. Right between Mariah’s lovely renditions of Silent Night and O Holy Night is a raucous All I Want for Christmas Is You. I can’t help but smile when I think that’s the desire of God’s heart, too.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.