Does Sunday’s date startle you? Time flies when we’re busy about worldly things. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being occupied with feeding and clothing ourselves and our family and working to pay the mortgage and save for retirement. Where we can go wrong is being occupied with only these things. We need to make time in our busy lives for godly pursuits like prayer, reading Scripture, sharing faith, social outreach, and service.
After Jesus predicted his death, Peter pulled him aside and rebuked him. Jesus’ response is surprising in its forcefulness and passion: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Matthew 16:23). We too must be vigilant about Satan’s lure to think only as humans do. When we find ourselves consumed by concerns of this world, we must cry out: “Get behind me, Satan. Jesus is my Lord!” Only Jesus will help us carry life’s crosses…and help us find meaning and new life in the struggle.
Image credit: Laurent LARCHER/CIRIC