Rooster

Rooster

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“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,””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭33‬, NIV‬‬.

When Peter, who loved Jesus heard that Jesus will:

-Suffer

-Be rejected

-Be killed

-Rise Again

Peter heard “suffer” and jumped!

No! I won’t let that happen! I’ll defend you with my life.

Did Jesus think: You can’t protect Me from My destiny. You can’t thwart God’s plan. His good and right and necessary plan for all of mankind. You can’t!

Only Satan would try to stop God’s will.

“Get behind me Satan.”

I’ve never read it this way. But how often do my good deeds interfere with God’s plan? How often do I try to protect someone from their God-anointed suffering?

Jesus knew Peter had to hit rock bottom—he had to hear the rooster to fulfill his predicted destiny. Or Peter would never have been the man he was created to be. A leader of the church.

How often do I try to stop someone from known suffering, to ease their predicaments? Especially as a mom.

But suffering is needed to grow us from the inside out? (Romans 5:3-5.)

It was the rooster crowing that not only sealed Peter’s prophetic moment but would change the trajectory of his life.

Peter had to watch his beloved Savior suffer, and it would be his constant companion, for the rest of his life. We know this because Peter asked to be hung upside down on the cross. Like his Savior, but without the mystery of defeating death, and without the grace that only Jesus’ sacrifice could make.

Only Jesus can save, only Jesus. And Jesus needed to stop Peter from challenging His obedience to His Father.

What’s our destiny? Are we staying on course? Are we preventing another of theirs by our discouragement believing it’s encouragement?

(Please share your thoughts below, it’s how we grow together. I’m eager to hear from you.)

Father,

You alone are perfect. You alone know all. Why do I think I have a better idea? Why do I believe if the suffering ceased it would be the better choice? It’s in our suffering that we learn the most. Why would I want to prevent another from learning truth? Because it’s a difficult process to watch.

I desperately need Your wisdom. I desperately need Your guidance. I need you every hour of every day. Help me to know when to speak and when to remain silent, for silence is a trusted ally.

Bottom line is, I need to trust You more.

Help me to do just that.

Amen.