Daily Bible Reading - Feb 1, 2010 - Mark 8

Have you ever tried to tell God He was wrong? Doesn't work very well does it?

Peter tried to tell Jesus that He wouldn't or shouldn't die. That was the wrong thing to say! Jesus knew what had to happen to fulfill the will of God for the salvation of the world. And Peter, seeing things from a human point of view, didn't want to see his mentor, his Savior die. Even though it meant salvation for Peter and for all of us.

But Jesus then talks about being selfish. I guess Peter was being selfish because he wanted Jesus to stay with him longer. Jesus puts an end to that feeling and then tells everybody not be selfish, but instead to take up their cross daily and follow.

That's a hard thing to do. Whether you believe it or not we are selfish. Even if we finally decide on the unselfish thing to do, we first think about how it will affect us.

I was selfish the other day when I drove past a guy in the Wal-Mart parking lot holding a sign saying he needed gas to get somewhere. I headed home, then turned around and went back to help him. By the time I got there someone else had stopped and given him some money and he was leaving (I watched him go to the gas station by the way). But I felt bad because my first instinct was focused on myself.

The church often gets this way too. We think first about what would make us (who are already here, serving, sweating, giving) feel better. More comfortable. More relaxed. More at "church." But Jesus told us to take up our cross daily (even Sunday) and follow Him. So we should be thinking about what will make others feel more comfortable. Relaxed. Better. And, we should be willing to use what God has given us to meet the needs of others, that's why we have NA meetings here and provide them with heat and light and a place to meet. Because we want to see lives changed. turned around. And if we can help someone get and stay clean - their life is on a path to change.

So, roll your sleeves up, pick up that cross and let's get moving!