Diet Devotional 24

Mark 8:33 - But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Out of my sight, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

In this passage, Jesus had just spoken plainly about the events that were to come. In a rare discussion, not shrouded in parable or symbolic speech, he told them outright what would happen with his death and resurrection. As Jesus was laying out the plan for his death, Peter rebuked him. A few verses earlier, Peter told Jesus that he believed he was the prophesied Messiah, the Christ. The rebuke made sense because the Jews were looking for a military leader. They wanted salvation from their physical oppressors (Rome), not from sin. God's plan was bigger. So, Jesus responded to him, "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." What's worse, he delivered a scathing speech following his rebuke to Peter. He called together a crowd along with his disciples and discussed the sacrifice that would be required of them. He said, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." (vs.35). From the context, we could assume that Christ saw two things in Peter: 1) ignorance and unwillingness to see God's bigger plan, and 2) fear for his own life. Surely if the elders, chief priests, and teachers would kill Jesus, they would most certainly come after his disciples next.

It's interesting how this food issue is changing my life. On a much, much smaller scale, I feel like Peter. I am ignorant of God's bigger plan for my heart. I want the physical oppression of the weight gone, but maybe God's bigger plan is for the removal of sin in my heart - the idolatry that causes me to eat instead of go to him for help. The truth is, I know it will take sacrifice to follow God to this place. I may not suffer at the hands of religious persecutors like the disciples did, but I will most certainly have to give up life as I now know it. I'll have to let go of my security blanket. If I try to hold onto my life - the status quo, the canned peacefulness in calm waters, and the "don't rock the boat" mentality - then I will never know the adventure that awaits me. I will lose my opportunity to follow Christ to an abundant life, exchanging it for the stagnant trifles this this world offers me.