WATCHWORD:
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” 20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” Luke 9:18-20
Meditation:
Who Do You Say I Am?
Ask the right question. A missionary in South America was tempted to cool off with a swim in the local river because of the soaring temperatures, but he was leery of the piranhas he heard were man-eaters. He was told that only while swimming in schools, do piranhas bite people but they never swim around here. So, each afternoon for the rest of the summer he enjoyed cooling off in the river. When he heard reports of a local who had fallen out of his boat and had not been found, he again asked if perhaps the man had been eaten by piranhas. Oh, no, they assured him, only while swimming in schools do piranhas bite people, but they never swim around here because of the alligators. Oh, oh. Ask the right question.
Paul was confronted with many questions in his ministry to the Galatians. Some were contained within challenges from the Judaizers who were trying to incorporate Jewish law into Christianity. One of the first major controversies in the early church was the question, ‘Must a man be circumcised to be saved?” Paul said that if one believed that, he would be under God’s condemnation (Galatians 1:6-9).
The commentary in Verse a Day speaks to Jesus’ question: ‘Who do you say that I am?’ We are told to make it personal, don’t just repeat Peter’s word. Confront your relationship with Jesus and find the truth. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into that truth. Have you ever denied Him? Failed to do what you knew would have been the right thing? What have you told others about Him? Does your life reflect who you say He is? Is He a healer? What has He healed you from? Do you say He is a provider? What has He provided for you? Have you experienced Jesus Christ, personally? How did that happen? Again, who do you believe Him to be?
Here is a tough one: Are we modern-day “Judaizers”, trying to blend our will with God’s to make things just a little more comfortable? Do we prayerfully ask the Lord to show us His will, then make just a few ‘adjustments’ to accommodate our life-style or our unwillingness to reach out? Maybe it is time to re-think our response to Jesus’ question, and how we follow-through? Amen? Amen!
Prayer for a New Day:
Thank You Lord Jesus for Who You are and for a new day. Thank You that Your compassion is renewed every morning. Great is Your faithfulness and Your steadfast love, O Lord!
I don’t know what all is going to happen today, and how much I’ll get done, but You do. You have planned it just for me and because I know that you have prepared me for all that it holds, I will rejoice and be happy in your presence.
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Father. Energize me for Your work, because You know how tired these bones are. Awaken me to the wonder of Your salvation, and quicken my spirit to the reality of Your work in my life.
Lord, my mind is filled with creative ideas, but they’re all jumbled. Holy Spirit, come and hover over my mind like You hovered over the waters at creation and speak order out of the chaos! Help me to cease striving and to trust that You will give me all I need today to do the work You’ve given me to do.
You will be faithful to complete the good work You’ve started, and as I step out into my day, I declare Your sovereignty over every area of my life. I entrust myself to You and ask that You use me however You see fit.
This day is Yours. My body is Yours. My mind is Yours. Everything I am is Yours. May You be pleased with me today. Amen.
