“But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’” – Mark 8:33

Many years ago, I broke both of my shoulders at the same time. One thing that I learned very quickly is how many little, daily tasks I take for granted. Things you never thought about suddenly become a very complex, often painful ordeal. Everything I did, from putting on shoes to brushing my teeth, had to be carefully thought out and planned. If you have ever been through something similar, you understand how incredibly oblivious we are to much of our actions throughout the day.

Unfortunately, most of us also go through our day spiritually oblivious. We make decisions – both big and small – with very little thought. In fact, I would say most of us assume that our simple human desires should be the basis for the vast majority of our decisions; only the “super spiritual” decisions are made with God’s will in mind. But in Mark 8:33, Jesus makes a very shocking statement. While speaking to his incredibly faithful follower, Peter, Jesus rebukes Satan in him. Why? Because Peter has his mind on his own human concerns and not on God’s will. Think about that for a minute: decision making that is based on fleshly desires and not on God is Satanic decision making. That is a serious accusation! We need to learn to be intentional in every moment and every decision. Our minds should be so set on the things of God that all our actions – even the seemingly minor ones – are guided by him.

Heavenly Father, may we never make another decision with our minds set on the things of man. Teach us to be intentional in every action, always keeping our minds set on You.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon