But he turned and said
to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting
your mind not on divine things but on human things."
Once again Jesus uses one of the disciples as an example to show us
just how human we are. I don’t think Peter was portraying the manifestation of evil,
but he was portraying the evil of fear and doubt. It was probably very difficult for the
disciples to believe that someone could defeat death, for they were just ordinary men like
you and me. There are instances that make you feel that the disciples questioned whether
Christ was really the Son of God or just a wise teacher. This passage is a moment of truth
for the followers of Christ. Jesus is saying to us, "you either believe or you
don’t."
How many of us can see our own Satans? How many of us have in mind the
things of men? As a father I feel an overwhelming drive to provide for my family. Many
times this striving for earthly things can blind me to the things of God, yet no matter
how noble the cause, we must not lose sight of the real goal.
All of us have Satans that hold us back from a true relationship with
God. It is imperative that we put these Satans behind us.
Prayer: Lord, open our minds to the things of God. Lead us down the
right path – the path that leads to you. Lead us through life as better people. Help
us to differentiate between that which we need and that which we desire. And help your
children shout "Get behind us Satan!" Amen.
