#1100. God’s concerns or human concerns? (16/7/24)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional. Following on from yesterday’s devotional in Matthew 16, today, we continue to reflect on this text and how we can ensure that we keep in mind the concerns of God.

To watch this devotional, follow the link below:

https://youtu.be/HwE4Ycrs_4c

‘From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”’ (Matthew 16:21-23)

Matthew 16:21–23

I love music. I love it when there is true harmony and each instrument or voice compliments the other. The opposite to this is a cacophony as each voice or instrument competes for space and is out of harmony. This is what we are seeing in this confrontation between Jesus and Peter. Peter is out of harmony with Jesus. Peter is wanting to play a different tune. Peter is wanting Jesus to play his tune. In other words, Peter wants things his way rather than the way of God.

Following on from yesterday, I wanted to focus on this idea of having in mind the things of God. This is about putting God’s will above our own - better yet, this is about have our will aligned with God’s will. The ideal of Christian maturity is to become someone who loves what God loves. The Father wants us all to have in mind the things of God; how do we grow toward this?

i. You must be born again

Firstly, we must be born again. A Christian, by the Spirit’s work of new birth, has a new heart and new desires. The ‘flesh’ still competes with this, however, every Christian has a new power and inclination to please their heavenly Father.

ii. Fill your mind and heart

Secondly, to keep in mind the things of God, we must fill our mind with the Word of God. God’s Word is God’s will. His Word is Spirit-authored and is transformative. Those who feed on God’s Word will have their thinking sanctified and aligned increasingly to God’s will.

iii. Be in community

Thirdly, To keep in mind the things of God, it’s important that we are in community. Let’s notice that Peter is rebuked by Jesus. likewise, we all need a loving friend’s rebuke from time to time.

There’s lots that could be said on how we ensure that the compass of our hearts and minds are aligned with the concerns of God. The world, the flesh and the devil want to take us off course so that we plot the course of our lives according ‘human concerns’ rather than the concerns of God. Are you and I in harmony with God? Do we love what He loves? Have we been born again? Are we filling our minds with God’s truth? Are we being helped in community? How do you need to ’tune up’ or keep your heart in tune to God’s concerns?

Peter was following ‘merely human concerns’ and wanted Jesus to avoid suffering and the cross. Sometimes, God’s ways - His concerns - are difficult and even painful. Like Christ, may we be able to say:

‘He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”’ (Matthew 26:42)

Matthew 26:42