follower – Be Still…

What God wants more than anything is for us to stay focused on him. Period. God knew the people were going to cross into the promised land and be surrounded by all kinds of evil. He had to call it out here in this passage. When we don’t know something is bad for us, we can get into trouble. I think of the child burning his hand on the stove because his mom didn’t warn him it was going to be hot.

The word “detestable” is pretty strong. In the King James and the ESV the word is “abomination.” According to the Google dictionary, the Biblical meaning of detestable is synonymous to abomination or “exceptionally loathsome, hateful, sinful, wicked, or vile.” Do you think this will stop the people or will that make it even more of an enticement?

Read Matthew 16:21-28

In our last reading, Jesus was applauding Peter’s bold statement and gave him the keys to the kingdom. Today, Peter is being called “Satan” by an angry Jesus. Maybe “angry” is too harsh, but Jesus wasn’t pleased with Peter. Why? Peter was in denial. Peter didn’t want to hear Jesus talking about such things as torture and death. Peter couldn’t imagine a life without Jesus in it. Those thoughts were human thoughts.

I’m sure Jesus, being 100% human, was also struggling with the reality of his destiny on earth. I don’t know who in their right mind would be looking forward to being brutalized and killed, especially when they were totally innocent. Yet, Jesus knew what was coming. It was time to prepare his friends for the events to come. For Peter to be in denial was not helping Jesus at all.

Tag: follower

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 – Holy Living

Matthew 16:21-28 – Become a True Follower

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