Conversations with Jesus

As we read today’s scripture, I want to encourage you to first read the conversation that happened between Jesus and His disciples, but then reread it conducting your own conversation. 

In today’s scripture, it begins with Jesus asking His disciples who people in the general area think He is.   So this can only lead the reader to question to themselves, who is Jesus to us? What do we think and believe Him to be?  Some of us could quote the seven ‘I am’ statements from Jesus. Some would profess Him to be their Lord and Savior. Some would say the Son of God. Some would even say their very best friend. 

I found it most interesting that Jesus doesn’t immediately respond to their answers in the way most would expect. Society would have us believe that He would answer them in that moment by explaining who He is, possibly by giving us a set of rules, or specific way to address Him, but He doesn’t. This reveals to me the heart of Christ. He was walking with His disciples then, just as He walks with us now. He was encouraging a conversation, just as He desires to have a conversation with us. A constant and true relationship, timeless and consistent. 

So once we have pondered what we believe Jesus to be, He then moves us to the next step of the conversation. He tells His disciples what will happen to Him, what He must endure. Through these scriptures, He is letting us know what He went through, and what He knowingly endured, for us. For me. For you. 

When Peter pulls Him aside, scolding Jesus for thinking and talking like that, I can’t help but think that I might have said the same thing. Truth is, when those we love are going through tough times, we often take it upon ourselves to enter the ‘stay positive’ mantra. Jesus then calls out Satan in this thought process, and it always takes me by surprise. Jesus states this position as a human thought process, and not of God’s. This gets tricky, because we DO hold the power and authority through Jesus to heal, to proclaim His name above everything we encounter, but this doesn’t exclude us from the pain that we may encounter in the process. I feel like so many people are quick to assume that slapping Jesus’s name on their issues and problems immediately eliminates any pain, any hardships. Yet He never said this, never proclaimed this, never promised this.

This leads us to the last part of today’s conversation. Jesus takes this opportunity to tell not only His disciples, but anyone around them who would listen, that to follow Him, to truly walk beside Him through life, will not exempt you from pain. He provides a choice, to follow Him is to take up a cross. It is to give up the ways of the world, giving up traditions, giving up selfish desires, giving up your flesh. It means being persecuted by religious people, it means sacrifice. However, He reminds us that the risk, the cross we bear for this lifetime, is nothing compared to the rewards of what is to come. It is nothing compared to the richness of a true loving relationship. It is nothing to eternity. Jesus gave us our options, spilled them out clear as day, and left the choice to us. 

End today’s conversation asking Jesus to reveal your own heart. Are you truly walking alongside Christ, or are there still areas, traditions, and maybe even people you are clinging to? Start a conversation.

Prayer: 
Dear Father,
We pray that as we read today’s scripture, we start a conversation that never ends. We pray to open our hearts to learn what areas in life we may be clinging to above Your will and guidance. Father, we thank You for the love You give, a love that allows an open conversation, that is constantly guiding, and adamantly seeking out our best interest. Father we pray that if there are aspects of our lives that You do not deem fit, that You help provide us strength to remove them. Father we pray that You light a desire within us that is insurmountable in comparison to the ways of this world. We again thank You for your incomparable love, in Jesus’ name, Amen.