To Think as God Thinks

Scripture: Mark 8:27-35

Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

Reaction: This is the reading for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, which is this upcoming Sunday. Our prayer group is meeting for the first time on Wednesday, and this is the passage will discuss.

During today’s meditation, the phrase that initially struck me was “You are thinking not as God does, but as humans do.” In the context of this gospel, the thought of Jesus suffering and dying was devastating to Peter, who was thinking as a human; however, in God’s plan it was necessary for the salvation of mankind. I know that God’s ways are often a mystery to me, but I too am thinking like a human and not as God does. I don’t know that I can ever think as God thinks, but one thing I can do is accept that God’s ways are best for His people. This means accepting everything that comes my way, and trying to find God’s goodness in all I encounter. This fits very well with the concept of ‘taking up one’s cross’, or accepting the burdens of life and offering them as ways to build up our characters and glorify God. As I reflected on this idea, I came to a new interpretation of the phrase ‘whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life…will save it.” Today, the message from this phrase was that instead of trying to plan my life to avoid discomfort, worries, and trials, I should simply surrender to God’s plan. I know I have a tendency to map out my life according to what I think is easiest and most pleasant for me, but this is the life I need to lose. When I walk with the Spirit according to God’s design, I come closer to living the life God intends for me.