Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Mark 8:22-9:1 NIV
Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” 24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” 30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus Predicts His Death
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
The Way of the Cross
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” 9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
What do you do when you are angry at God?
Things in life don’t always turn out the way we want them to. The blind man didn’t ask to be blind and had hardships because of it. Peter wanted You to be King and didn’t want You to die. The way of the cross was hard and painful. We all go through stuff we don’t like and sometimes it makes us angry. There are often times when I pray for things that I want and it doesn’t happen. There are times I pray for things I don’t want and it happens anyway. Forgive me when I think of You as a big genie in the sky who should only give me good things and prevent the bad. Lord thank You for listening when I complain to You and that You wait for me when I am too angry to even speak to You. Thank You that You welcome me to share my honest feelings with You. You know what’s going on inside of me anyway, but You want me to be able to come to You with honesty and openness. You not only keep loving me when I am mad, but You keep providing for my every need. You always answer my prayers in ways that are better for me even when I don’t understand. I only see in part but You know what is best. When I share my feelings with you remind me that You are sovereign and all-knowing. Help me when I face trials that seem so huge that I struggle to trust You. No matter what happens in my life, help me remember how great Your love is for me. You faced suffering and death out of Your love for me. One day I will understand the mysteries that are here. Take my focus off of me, my needs and wants, and instead find joy and peace from the hardships of life as I get involved to help other people through their tough times. Warm my heart with Your love as I release all my concerns and hurts to You. I know that if I trust in You and believe in You, that I can have Your peace even in the hard times. We pray this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.