16th Day of Lent, March 22, 2025

Mark 8:27-33 <- Click to read now

This rejection is getting closer to home, but it’s getting harder to recognize. Peter wasn’t one to flat out reject Jesus. In this very passage, he is the one who said Jesus is the Messiah. What Peter rejected was this notion that the Messiah would die. Peter wasn’t ready for that. He was by the side of Jesus, and nobody was going to take that away. He didn’t realize, in order for the Messiah to do what he came to do, he had to die.

Are there parts of our walk with Jesus we don’t understand? Are there struggles we can’t comprehend? Sure, there are. Yet, we’re still called into this walk. We’re still called to trust God, and to know His promises are sure and true. If things happened the way we would want, well, we wouldn’t face any of the pains or struggles we face. Others wouldn’t, either. But we know a day is coming when all these pains and all these struggles will be gone forever. Until that day comes, what we do face has the potential to bring us closer with Jesus. Let’s let those things we face do just that.

Lord, we don’t always understand the difficulties of life. In some cases, we understand even less about our struggles than we actually do understand. But we know You are with us. We know Jesus said to cast our burdens on him, so that’s what we do. Help us to cast our cares at Your feet, and help us to grow closer with Jesus., learning from him and becoming more like him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.