Walk This Way - Reflection Week One: "The Question that Changes Everything"

This is the first post in the summer "Walk This Way" series. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the next posts in the series.

Readings: Psalm 118:1-8; 22-29

      Ephesians 2:19-22

      Matthew 16:13-18

I’m not sure many of us could describe the past few weeks or months as being perfectly peaceful. It only takes a brief glance at news headlines to see this isn’t the case. And what about personally? Are you in a state of peace, or a state of difficulty, hardship, or trouble?  Whichever it is, the question asked in Matthew 16:15 can make a tremendous impact. I know it does for me. 

The purpose of these reflections is to take the weekly message and readings from my church, Ascension Lutheran Church, and apply them to our lives. With that goal in mind, I’m going to be a bit bold and get a little personal and vulnerable here. I want to be real and genuine in hopes that it will inspire those who read this to do the same in their faith walk. Also, when I’m completely honest with Jesus in my prayer life, similar to the way David is open and honest in the Psalms, I feel his presence and strength more. So while I might not share every thought here that I say in my prayers, my writing stems from that time in thought and prayer with him.

So today, I will be honest in saying that the past few months for me haven’t been the easiest. Many of you reading this already know that. You know I faced a recurrence of breast cancer after twelve years cancer-free, and consequently had to have a pretty dramatic surgery to eliminate it and reduce as much as possible a third recurrence. (I'm so grateful to be recovering well and so grateful to a community of people praying and supporting me through this!) Many of you reading this have faced cancer before and, like I did, conquered it. Many of you have lost loved ones, as have I, to cancer, or are maybe facing a diagnosis right now. Many of you have other illnesses, struggles, either physically or relationally and emotionally, and those are just as hard. 

Whatever you’re facing, I’m going to guess that fear has played a part in your battle. It certainly has for me. Even after doing everything possible to get rid of the cancer, I still have lingering questions about whether or not there are some sneaky little cells somewhere in my body waiting to find a home to grow. I have spent some good time and some unnecessary time researching and planning how to be as healthy and cancer-free as possible, even though I felt I was already doing pretty much all I could. And while all that info and all the efforts to be healthy can be beneficial and good, it can also become exhausting because when it comes right down to it, it’s impossible to do everything perfectly and avoid every potential cause of an illness. Similarly, it’s impossible to control everything going on in this world. 

And this is where that important question comes into play:

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Matthew 16:15

Since I started reflecting on this verse several days before writing this, I can’t seem to get it out of my head. When I feel worried about something or someone, I hear it. When I feel like there’s nothing I can do, I hear it. When I feel afraid, when I feel anxious, I hear it. I hear Jesus asking ME this same question he asked his disciples. When I feel anything at all that isn’t peaceful or good, I hear Jesus saying, “Who do you say I am?” and this changes everything.

This question from Jesus changes my thinking because I have to answer him this way: 

Jesus, I can’t handle this right now, but you can. You are my strength. 

Jesus, I don’t know what to do about this, but you do. You are the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus, someone I love is hurting, needs your help. You are the ultimate healer. You will help and heal them. 

Jesus, things seem out of control. You are the almighty God who sees and answers when we call.

Pastor David Guzik says this about Jesus’s question in Matthew 16:15:

“We answer this question every day by what we believe and do. If we really believe Jesus is who he says he is, it will affect the way we live.”

I love how the reading from this week’s Psalm answers the question of who Jesus is. Psalm 118 begins and ends with “Give thanks to the Lord, FOR HE IS GOOD.”  It also repeats four times, “HIS FAITHFUL LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.” 

It says in verses 5-7: 

In my distress, I prayed to the Lord, 

and the Lord answered me and set me free. 

The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. 

What can mere people do to me?

Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.

In verse 14:

The Lord is my strength and my song.

In verse 24:

This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

In these verses, I can see that the Lord is good, full of faithful love, the answerer of my prayers, the one who sets me free, the one who is for me, the one who will help me, my strength, my song, the creator of this day! This is only from reading one Psalm. There are so many other passages that we can read that tell and show who Jesus is, so we can then walk into our day claiming these truths as we go. 

That’s my plan for this week. I plan to walk in the truth of Jesus and his word above every other noise. When I catch myself feeling any doubts or uncertainty, I’m going to continue to state the truth of who Jesus is over it. I will likely need to do this many times throughout the day, and I will likely not get it perfect. Thankfully, there's a truth for that- God's faithful love endures forever.

I pray you have a blessed day, walking in the truth of who Jesus is in your life.

And thank you so much to the pastors at my church for their weekly inspiration and messages, as well as their support in my writing of these reflections.

Journaling Ideas:

• Write out  Matthew 16:15. Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Spend some time praying and answering who Jesus is in your life.

• Write how you’re feeling, and with each hard thought, claim a truth about Jesus over it and write it down. (For example, "I'm feeling worried, but Jesus is for me. He is good. He will make all things good.") You can use Psalm 118 as a starting point. Another good one for this is Psalm 145.

• Go on a walk, thinking of who Jesus is. What comes to mind as you walk? What do you notice as you observe the world around you? Take a picture if you can of one of these things, and then, after the walk, journal a prayer of thanks for what you saw, what it reminded you of. Thank God for who he is, for His creation, His power, and His care. 

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