From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
(Matthew 16:21-23 ESV)
Jesus knew Who He was and why He had come. He was in tune with the Father's plan, and was set on seeing it through. His mind was clear; His heart was pure; His resolve unstoppable. Peter tried to get in the way. He had a better plan in his mind; he had his heart on other things; he was a stubborn man. How he must have been taken back by Jesus' rebuke! He was making himself a stumbling block on the way. He was being short-minded - a spiritual short-sightedness. Why? He was stopping in his thinking at the "Killed" part of Jesus' prediction. He was not looking to the resurrection. We do the same thing. We set our minds on this world, this side of eternity, and the illusions that Satan throws before our eyes every day. We become his accomplices in spiritual crime - thinking we can (and should) get in the way of God's plan. As we work our way towards the celebration of the Passion of Christ, let us not be short-minded. Let us look to the Resurrection and beyond, so we do not put any obstacles in our way, or someone else's way, of the path God intends to take us.
No comments:
Post a Comment