DAILY DEVOTIONAL – March 20, 2020
“He’s Got This!”
Prayer: Almighty God, through the death and resurrection of Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, You have given us every reason to rejoice, every reason to release our grip on our life and entrust ourselves to You. You alone Jesus are mighty to save, and have in fact saved us through Your cross and through the Light of Your resurrection. Help us Lord to trust You with everything, even as we trust You with our very souls. Amen.
Scripture: Matthew 26:47-56
While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Devotional – “He’s Got This!”
We know from John’s Gospel that it was Peter who drew his sword that night. I have no doubt that in the moment Peter hacked off the ear of the servant of the high priest, he genuinely thought he was protecting and helping his Lord. Like the other disciples, Peter saw Jesus as the Messiah who was to deliver Israel from Roman oppression and establish the Kingdom of God on earth. Peter could not fathom how this could be possible if Jesus was arrested and handed over to be killed. So when the mob came to take Jesus, Peter (in his mind) had no choice. God needed Peter’s help, so Peter stepped in and tried to take salvation into his own hands.
Jesus’ words in rebuke of Peter are words we all need to hear for our own good. Jesus said, “For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” In other words, Jesus is saying, “Peter! I am in full control here…despite what you think you see. If you try and take salvation into your own hands, the only result is death.”
We can certainly understand where Peter was coming from, can’t we? I think we have all had those times in life where it appears God is helpless to help us. In our sinful and foolish reason, we think that maybe God isn’t doing what He needs to do because we aren’t doing enough. Maybe if we just take things into our own hands it will all turn out okay. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people quote the Bible and say, “God helps those who help themselves.” The problem is, not only is that not found in the Bible but it is absolutely antithetical to the entire message of Scripture.
After a very difficult teaching of Jesus on the Kingdom of Heaven, the disciples ask, in Matthew 19, “Lord, then who can be saved?!” Jesus looked them right in the eye Scripture says and answered them saying, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Friends, Jesus wasn’t helpless in the least. With a simple exhale, Jesus could have brought the entire Roman army to its knees begging for mercy. It is precisely because Jesus and God were in complete control that Christ allowed Himself to be arrested, falsely accused, tortured, crucified and killed. If Peter was successful in preventing this, Peter would have secured his own damnation and prevented his own salvation. Friends, we do the same anytime we attempt to take matters into our own hands. Even when things appear to be at their worst, even when it seems all hope is lost, there is always hope because Christ has risen!
This saying isn’t found in Scripture either, but there is a lot of Biblical truth behind the saying, “let go and let God.” We can apply Jesus’ words to Peter to every part of our own life. When we are tempted to take matters into our own hands, whether that be finances, relationships or our hopes and dreams, Jesus tells us, “Put the sword away. You’re only going to hurt yourself. I got this.” Jesus’ resurrection from the grave on Easter morning proves just that; He does got it…He’s got all of it. He’s got you. He knows the hairs on your head. He knows every day of our lives from eternity and into all eternity, and He has prepared eternity for all of those who trust not in themselves but in God’s perfect love for us in Christ.
Whatever it is, with man it is impossible but with God all things are possible. He’s got this.
Thanks for joining me for devotional time in God’s Word, and remember that God has forgiven yesterday, is with you today and has already taken care of tomorrow…and all because Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
