Devotion: Finally!
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18
Remember the phrase, “Its complicated?” In 2009, a movie starring Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep was the rage. The phrase actually is traceable all the way back to the late 1800s and a novel by Henry James. Indeed, “complicated” is probably one of the best words to describe many of the relationships we have. This is our nature as humans. We tend to make things complicated.
In the season of Lent we are studying those who were part of the final hours of Jesus’ life, and we see how complicated these relationship were. Each encounter with Jesus seems so straightforward until we really dig into it. Most certainly, Peter embodies this reality. Perhaps this is why we gravitate to him?
Let’s start with the reality that Scripture painstakingly makes a point to show just how complicated Peter’s relationship was with Jesus. We all know he was the undisputed leader of the disciples. And yet in one moment he is solving the mystery of Jesus’ hidden identity, and in the next he is being rebuked for trying to deny Jesus’ destiny. We get whiplash hearing Peter’s story. Pastor Michelle does an excellent job making this point in her sermon.
Our struggle, which is magnified in Lent, is that we don’t want our relationship with Jesus to be this complicated. We view God as so holy and ourselves as so flawed, so by adding layers of complexity to it when we are already feeling so insecure…well, that feels damning.
Maybe this is precisely one point that is being made as we walk to the cross with Jesus. Our relationship with him will always be complicated and we need to understand that we are no different than anyone else – even those who wanted him killed for their own selfish gain, and those, like Peter, who loved him so.
Can you embrace the fact that a life of faith is complicated? That our love for Jesus is complicated? And that his death for the sake and redemption of your sin… well, that’s complicated, too.
Let us pray,
Precious Jesus, thank you for loving us, despite how complicated we make things. Reassure us of your unwavering love, and draw us closer to you. Amen.
Written by Pastor Greg Bouvier
Pastor Greg heard God’s call to Sheridan in 1999 and that began a journey which has become his life’s work. Having played a variety of roles as pastor of Sheridan, Pastor Greg was called as the Senior Pastor in 2011. He leads the staff and his primary focus is on the creation of culture, the overall direction of worship and partnering with our amazing team. Pastor Greg has been married to Rose for more than 30 years and together they have two servant-hearted grown children.