Thomas is memorizing scripture at age two. Of course I’m incredibly proud, and of course I’m helping every chance I get. When his mom started teaching him a new letter each week, she naturally included a Bible verse. He is so eager to learn and retains information so readily, but what neither of us realized is how much hiding God’s Word in his little heart would help him manage his giant sized emotions!
When he’s tired or frustrated, it’s apparent to anyone in the room and especially in the car with him. He’s never loved car rides, but when he’s fighting sleep, he becomes inconsolable. All of our desperate attempts to calm him only seemed to make matters worse until we remembered that He knows the Word of Life. My daughter asked him to tell her his B verse.
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
He quieted so she asked for his C verse.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” I Peter 5:7
He was smiling as she asked for his D verse.
“Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Philippians 2:14
Then she asked him for the longest passage he knows- the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6:9-13. By the time he reached the amen, he was settled and for the remainder of the drive, he talked excitedly.
”Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”“
Matthew 4:4 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.4.4.NIV
You’ll quickly find that it’s all about Jesus with me. Everything reminds me of Jesus, points me or drives me to Him! Someone I love very much once used that exact phrase, thinking I would be insulted, but they were exactly right. It really is all about Jesus with me.
”If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”“
Mark 8:38 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mrk.8.38.NLT
In what context would Jesus ever say such harshly convicting words? Look just a few verses before to frame the scene and see Peter, the outspoken leader of the apostles dare to confront the perfect Lamb of God. This seems to me another warning to Peter, another “keep watch and pray lest you fall to temptation” moment that should have given Peter pause before he denied Christ on the night of his trial. (Mark 14:38, Mark 14:71) Peter had just made his monumental declaration of faith, saying, “You are the Christ, Messiah, Son of the Living God,” and as Jesus begins explaining what must happen next, Peter quickly pulls Him aside, effectively hushing Him while accusing Him of talking nonsense. Of course You are who I think You are, and of course You’ll do this kingdom thing exactly like I’m imagining.
”Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law.
He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead.
As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter.
“Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?“
Mark 8:31-37 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mrk.8.31-37.NLT
Is anything worth more than a soul? We’re not so unlike Peter if we stop to honestly assess ourselves. We’re running ahead and making our plans and asking Jesus to jump in and tie up all our loose ends so we can be or do what we intend for His Kingdom. We too invite his reprimand upon ourselves and those we lead. Look around and see just who is following you. Jesus turned and looked at His disciples before reprimanding Peter.
You’re never in this alone. Your path and mine are intertwined with so many others, and Jesus is right there being Sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords, moving and working in you to accomplish His purposes, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him. (Philippians 2:13) He brings someone alongside you and He moves others out of your path and all the while, you have no idea that He’s orchestrating your steps, rescuing you from the evil one, and working all things together for good. Perhaps you get a glimpse here or there, but our sight won’t be complete until heaven. All of our fretting and fuming sounds an awful lot like telling God that He’s talking nonsense.
We forget ourselves when we start thinking too far ahead. Jesus literally called His disciples to walk in His dust.* He wants us so close to Him that we keep bumping into Him and stepping on the heel of His sandal as we strain forward to hear His every word. Only when we’re all up in His business can we begin to see how perfectly He is orchestrating ours. Maybe we can’t literally walk with Him as Peter did, but we have His Word, the Bible, and something even better- the Holy Spirit, God with us. When I’m in His Word, He brings to mind scripture to fit the situation- some verses I have deliberately committed to memory and others I’ve learned by repeated reading. Want to know my only regret? I don’t already know more!
”But solid food is for the mature, whose spiritual senses perceive heavenly matters.
And they have been adequately trained by what they’ve experienced to emerge with understanding of the difference between what is truly excellent and what is evil and harmful.“
Hebrews 5:14 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/heb.5.14.TPT
”God has breathed life into all Scripture.
It is useful for teaching us what is true.
It is useful for correcting our mistakes.
It is useful for making our lives whole again.
It is useful for training us to do what is right.
By using Scripture, the servant of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/2ti.3.16-17.NIRV
Children imitate what they see and hear. If you need help assessing yourself honestly, spend a little time with a child. If you need help managing your giant sized emotions, spend more time in God’s Word. Get face to face with the Author of life. Let His be the loudest voice. Be deliberate about pointing others to Him. It really is all about Jesus!
”Follow my example, just as I follow the example of Christ.“
1 Corinthians 11:1 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/1co.11.1.NIRV
Casting Crowns 👑
”the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever).
And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”“
Revelation 4:10-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rev.4.10-11.NLT
*Teaching on rabbi/disciple relationships in Bible times by Kristi McClelland from Session One (p.17) The Gospel on the Ground: The Grit & Glory Of The Early Church In Acts, Lifeway Press, 2022.
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