09/14/2022
Have we been rebuked in our lives for seeing life only as the world sees it? Peter received such chastisement right before Jesus told His followers to pick up their crosses and follow Him. So often we face verbal correction in our walk, or feel the hand of God upon us as He turns us to the left or right to guide us back onto the path of righteousness. Like Peter, We hear Jesus telling us that we are succumbing to the influences of Satan, and to pick up our cross and follow Him instead. The question becomes this… do we stumble over our earthly pride and turn away when corrected; do we get our feelings hurt and abandon our faith? Or, do we pick up our cross and follow Jesus as He bids us to do?
“But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Mark 8:33-34 NIV
Peter faced correction more than once as he followed Jesus, but in the end, by picking up his cross, and accepting the various lessons he is being taught, his life is changed, and Jesus refers to him as the rock on which He will build His church. How do we respond to correction? Do we do so with tears of remorse, and contrition, or by walking away with hurt feelings, and in despair?
“The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Luke 22:61-62 NIV
We will be corrected many times as we learn to follow Jesus faithfully. Our Heavenly Father will also critique our walk, and guide us back onto the path of righteousness many times, but will we accept the corrections when they come, and will we stay the corrected course?
“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Acts 20:24 ESV
Think back on the lessons that our earthly parents taught us, and you will realize that many of them seemed bitter at the time, but in looking back now, we find that they were life changing, and corrected bad behavior that was destined to harm us physically, or spiritually if left unchecked. Lessons, such as the one regarding telling the truth when we were caught in a lie, are never pleasant, but that correction instructed us in a life lesson regarding integrity, and the value of our word. Facing a parent’s disappointment or discipline in times like this hurts, but if we take these lessons to heart we are changed, and become better for them, and when the temptation to lie presents itself again we realize that not only do we understand the implications of lying, but we don’t want to disappoint or embarrass our parents. Scripture refers to such lessons as being “for His name’s sake.”
“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
Psalm 23:3 ESV
So how do we respond to God’s correction? What is our reaction when Jesus chastises us? Do we pick up our cross and continue to follow Him, or do we resist the lesson, and quite possibly walk away from not only our obedience, but our faith altogether? Do we allow our vision of right and wrong to be controlled by the world, or our faith?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for rebuking us when we have wandered away from you, and for teaching us the hard lessons of a faithful life. Thank you Lord for ingraining in us a desire to not only do what is right, but to do so for your name’s sake, and to glorify you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who guides us in the ways of righteousness. Praised be your name for every time that Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, has had to speak sternly to us regarding temptation, or about our having strayed. Merciful are you for giving us a conscience, and allowing us to hear it clearly in the midst of worldly temptations. Loving are you in your discipline, and although we might stumble in faith, you are perfect in your use of those times to work good through them in our lives. We thank you for your Son Jesus who has redeemed us, and for your grace that opens our eyes to your good and forgiving nature. Wash us clean of sin with the blood of Christ, and correct our transgressions as we obey Him when He says… go and sin no more. Surround us with His nature, and complete us in His character Lord. See only His image when we stand before you in judgement, and as you pronounce us worthy, seat us before you at your table. Hear then our praise and worship forevermore.
Rich Forbes