Daily Readings & Thought for July 15th. “YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD”
One of our greatest challenges in life is to see all that happens from Godâs perspective. The more we read Godâs word and meditate on what we read â the more we are able to do that. We can see this happening in our readings about the life of David, also in the challenging perceptions of Jeremiah who first protested to God, âI am only a youthâ [1 v.6].  The disciples of Jesus were in a special category and Peter was their chief spokesman ready to articulate his perceptions again and again, sometimes inappropriately: they teach us many lessons as we see their perceptions of Jesus increase. Our perceptions must do the same! Do they?  Â
Jesus had taken them to the far north of the land to Caesarea Philippi [Matt. 16 v.13] and asked them as to whom did people think he was? There were various opinions, Elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets?   Then comes the challenging question, âBut who do you say that I am? [v.15] and Peter declares, âYou are the Christ, the Son of the living Godâ.  Christ (the Greek word â âChristosâ), is âMessiahâ in their languageâ the promised Saviour â and âthe people were in expectationâ [Luke 3 v.15] of his coming because of the prophesies in their Bible, especially in Daniel. Note how Peter uses the phrase, âthe living Godâ- the Creator. Peter is starting to sense his presence in his life more and more. David, of whom we are reading in Samuel, sensed this more and more until âthe last words of Davidâ include the statement, âThe Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongueâ [2 Sam 23 v.1,2] and Peter and the Apostles were also to experience this.Â
Peter was one of 3 disciples chosen to have a foretaste of âthe Son of Man coming in his kingdomâ [v.28]; this happened six days later when Jesus âled them up a high mountain by themselves ⌠and he was transfigured before themâ [Ch. 17 v.1,2] It was an experience impressed upon their memory, for Peter, in his 2nd Epistle writes, âwe were eye witnesses of his majesty ⌠when he received honour and glory from God âŚâ [Ch.1 v.16,17]
Let us acknowledge and serve God and His Son every day in all that we say, do and think, as the disciples learnt to do, then we will be walking in the footsteps of men like David and Jeremiah â and then, one day, we will be âeyewitnesses of his majesty.âÂ