The God Gotham Deserves

Mark 8:31-33 'He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 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.”'

When Jesus entered Jerusalem the week He was to be crucified, the crowds surrounded Him shouting, "Hosanna!" meaning, "Save Now!" Throughout this time, many Jewish people believed the Messiah was to come help them overthrow Roman rule and grant Jews freedom once again. 

When they thought of rescue and freedom, they looked at the most obvious sign of oppression they experienced. We do the same thing all the time, don't we? If This could be gone, my life would be so much easier! If This Person would just stop, I wouldn't have to feel like this all the time! 

Jesus redeems our lives in ways we do not expect and frankly often leaves many of the sorrows we've come to most want Him to remove. Peter is not alone in his exasperation here, is he? Merely human concerns feel awfully important most of the time. And most of our human concerns probably are much smaller than overthrowing an empire! 

Jesus teaches us again and again how to get out of our own way and listen to Him. He knows what we need rescuing from far better than us. If you find yourself angry or upset with His saving capabilities this week, pray this morning for the grace and patience to listen to His instruction in your day today.