This struck me funny today. Herod “kept trying to see him” while Jesus was constantly being “seen”by thousands. He must not have been trying very hard.
There might be a lesson in that simple comment. Jeremiah 29:13 says “you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. Even though Jesus is everywhere (through the Holy Spirit) he isn’t found by everyone. David said in the 139th Psalm “where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your Presence?” He went on to state that God can be found in all places on the earth and above the earth, there isn’t any place we can go where God cannot find us, or where we cannot find him. But again, that doesn’t mean everyone is guaranteed to experience God’s presence. I personally have witnessed the Holy Spirit fall upon one person while the people standing beside them experienced nothing. I have seen one person convicted and moved to repentance while the spouse felt nothing. If we want to find God, then we must seek him with both our heart and mind. It’s possible to attend church and say that you are “open” to whatever God wants to say to you, and hear nothing. That could happen if our heart isn’t fully engaged in seeking Him. I think Herod wanted to see Jesus out of curiosity, but his heart wasn’t in it, and for that reason something always came up and prevented him from making the connection. The same thing happens with church attendance, small group attendance, etc.
Peter makes a good confession in verse 20. “You are the Messiah” which can also mean “Christ” or “Anointed One”. But I think Jesus might have heard “sent from God” (emphasis on “from”). While it’s true that Jesus was sent from God, it’s also true that He IS God. I can’t imagine that Peter knew in that moment He was speaking to God Himself, in human form. I say this because just before Jesus goes to the cross He says to Peter “you believe at last!”, implying that he didn’t “get it” beforehand.
I’m so glad that God is patient with us as we grapple with the reality and scope of His existence and involvement in human affairs. Our minds simply cannot contain the full reality of who God is, and how dependent upon Him we truly are. Any illusion of independence we have is just that….an illusion. We are completely dependent on God for everything. All life depends on His constant involvement and assistance. If He were to stop for even a moment, the whole creation would fall in on itself. Yes, Peter was right in what he said, but what he said was also not complete. And God didn’t scold him or correct him, because Peter’s limited understanding must have been sufficient for the moment.
Lord, I’m sure that there are times when my understanding of who you are and what you do are also woefully inadequate. In fact, my understanding is always inadequate. That’s why I’m so glad you are patient and kind, because it takes me a long time to understand things I feel I should already know. Thank you Lord, for continuing to train me, guide me and keep me on the right path.
Seeking with all my heart,
PR