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"WHO
YOU SHALL BE"
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Scripture: John
1:42 “ And when Jesus beheld him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jona:
you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone."
Peter was originally called Simon. When Jesus first met
Peter, He saw his potential and knew that God wanted to do mighty
works in Peter's life. Yet before Peter reached the state that God
intended for him, he faced many failures. Even after Peter received
a revelation from God the Father in Heaven that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus
found it necessary to rebuke Peter. Jesus had described His own
sufferings that were to come and that He would be killed but
raised to life again on the third day. This
was God’s necessary plan for the redemption of
humanity, but Peter took Jesus aside and declared that he would never
allow anything to happen to Jesus. Jesus told Peter, "Get thee
behind me, Satan: you are an offense to me" (Matthew 16:23). Peter
was giving into the carnal issues and missing the spiritual necessity
of the matter.
Later,
Peter denied the Lord three times, cursing and swearing that he did
not even know Jesus. Peter was also very impulsive, as in the
situation when he cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest. Yet
despite all of Peter's faults, God had a future and a hope for him
and planned for him to stand one day before thousands of people and preach
the message of Jesus Christ. Through Peter’s sermon thousands
repented and were added to the church (Acts 2:47).
From
the beginning of your life, God had plans and a purpose for
you individually. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God which
works in you, both to will and to do, of His good pleasure.” The moment
He breathed life into you, He began to sovereignly work to
bring His desired plans to fruition. Jeremiah
29:11 says that God's plan for you is designed for good and
not evil. God even sacrificed His Son Jesus, His most precious
possession, to give you an abundant life, a future, and a
hope. His ultimate goal is to make you an expression
of Himself. As God works in you, He works patiently as a potter
does with clay and from time to time remakes you over and
over again. He works tirelessly, cleansing you of your
sins and forgiving you of your faults.
God was patience and
determined as He worked with Peter. He is just as determined as
He works in you. He does not expect you to be perfect,
just pliable in His hands. Seasons of discouragement may come, but
whatever the enemy means for evil in your life, God causes it to
be for good. "All things work together for good to those who
love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans
8:28). Remember Jesus' words to Peter, "You are
Simon right now, but when I am finished with you, you will be Cephas or a
rock." Your future is inside of
you. Like Peter, you may see yourself as a common person right now, but
as you surrender to God and allow Him to complete His will and His good
pleasure in you, you will become as solid a stone. +++ |
