Image of a painting by Jason Rodriguez, and the admiration of that by our grandson, Liam Carlos Vasquez. Taken at Beacon of Hope in Aransas Pass.
I lost You after You said You were going to die!
From Mark 8: 31-38: Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Jesus shared some serious things with His disciples, and one of them in return, shared some serious things with Him. Jesus said, I will suffer greatly. I will be rejected by the elders. I will be rejected by the chief priests. I will be rejected by the scribed. I will be killed. And, I will, after three days, rise again. Where would Jesus have lost you? Peter was lost with probably the first thing. Peter was so upset with that first thing, he didn't hear any of the things after, especially the part of resurrection. Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him! Jesus calls Peter Satan, and tells him to behind Him. Jesus also told Peter that he was setting his mind on human things, not the divine things.
Here comes somer more serious stuff: If you want to become Jesus' follower, you must 1) deny yourself, 2) take up your cross, and 3) follow Jesus. This Lenten Journey has been about denying ourselves; putting Christ and spiritual things first over the physical. Taking up the cross, especially in recent days, could mean marking yourself for death. The ISIS group before executing 21 Christians from Egypt said their enemy was now "the people of the Cross."
We should fear not, for like Jesus, we too, will rise again through Him. We should live our lives not ashamed or afraid to follow Jesus, but live a life with confidence and love. Help somebody come to that same life.
PRAYER: Loving God, in spite of all the dangers, we place You first. Help me to deny myself, to take up my cross, and to follow Jesus. This I pray in His name, Jesus my Lord and Savior, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
