Scripture Reading: Mark
8:31-33
Journal: How
does operating by your agenda get you in trouble sometimes? In what areas of life is it most tempting to
charge ahead before getting direction from God?
What would it look like for you to have
in mind the things of God, rather than having
in mind the things of men? Are you
willing to get behind Jesus?
Reflection: I
don't know about you, but it is easy for me at times to get ahead of
myself. To move and act and live life before I have really reflected and
thought and prayed about the life I most want to live—or the life that God most
wants to live in me.
And it is also easy in this life of faith to
get ahead of God at times as well. It is easy for us to charge ahead with
our plans and schemes and agendas—even for the kingdom, mind you—without really
listening and seeking and getting direction from God.
I’m glad to see that I am not alone.
Peter had the same problem. So much so that when Jesus told him what was
to come, he adamantly disagreed with him—even rebuked him—because those plans
did not agree with his own. That's where the "Get behind me,
Satan!" part comes in. Peter had charged ahead when the
place he needed to be was firmly behind—behind Jesus. And
Jesus reminded him of that, quite boldly I might add.
It is just so easy to charge ahead
sometimes; to follow our own plans for how we think things should work, or
things should go, or things should be. There is obviously a great danger when
that happens. For when we charge ahead, we actually become a
stumbling block to Jesus rather than a follower. For ours is not to
charge ahead, ours is just to follow closely behind. What will
that look like today?
Prayers
Closing Prayer: O
Lord, my God, forgive me when I have in mind the things of men rather than the
things of God. Help me to be willing to
embrace your direction and your will in all that I do., rather than my own. Amen.
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