Megan Evans, Women’s Ministry Director LHBC

Matthew 16:15-16 (ESV)

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

There are many interesting greetings throughout the world. If you were in Qatar, you would perhaps bump noses, and in Tibet, you might stick out your tongue.  If you were in Zimbabwe you might clap your hands while greeting one another.  In Greenland, you might sniff faces.  Here in America we like to wave, smile, shake hands and say hello. Perhaps one of the more humble greetings in the world is the posture of bowing.  A sincere bow speaks of respect, and even reverence and submission. As a follower of Christ, we bow our heart to Jesus in worship, in the way we live, in obedience,and in love.  

By trusting Jesus with our life and submitting to follow His ways, we proclaim He is God and we are not.  When we move out of the way and follow His way, we see God unleash His power, His goodness and glory, and His joy and peace into our life.  As a Christian, we reflexively bow our head in prayer, but it can be hard to reflexively bow our heart. 

While giving our heart to Jesus takes place once and for all, bowing our heart and living out His lordship in every area of our life takes intentionality.  It takes spending time reading God’s Word.  It takes prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit teach, guide, get us back on the right track, prepare and equip us (2 Timothy 3:16).  But all this starts by answering an essential question.     

While in the region of Caesara Philippi, an area known for its pagan worship, Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They responded that some people thought he was John the Baptist, some said he was Elijah, and others believed he was Jeremiah or another prophet.  Then Jesus asked the disciples,  “who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:13-16).  Simon Peter spoke up and professed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.  Peter got it. Jesus asks us the same question today. 

Our world still has a lot of opinions about Christ today, and we often see Truth distorted to conveniently fit the lives of people rather than those people’s lives transformed to the shape of Truth.  The problem with twisting truth is that once truth is distorted, it is no longer truth.  And the same applies to the Bible-when God’s Truth is distorted and twisted to fit the likings of man, it becomes man’s word rather than God’s Word.  A distorted truth about Jesus makes His grace and mercy unrecognizable.  Paul spoke of the danger of distorting the gospel in Galatians 1:6-7.  As believers, we are not immune to these dangers.  The world’s voice is loud. What safeguards do you have in place to keep God’s voice the loudest?  How will you keep your heart bowed to Christ? How will you answer Jesus today: “But who do you say that I am?

PRAYER FOR TODAY:  

Father God, I bow my heart to you today.  Keep your Word pure in every area of my life.  Protect me from false teachings and popular words and opinions of man that distort the gospel truth. Safeguard my life and give me the desire and discipline to spend time with you in your Word and in prayer so that your voice is always the loudest in my ear.  In Jesus Name, Amen.       

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK: 

Hebrews 9:22-22 

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.