10,000 Ways

John Piper famously tweeted in 2012, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” His words were an exhortation to trust in the Lord’s love, his sovereignty, and his wisdom, amidst the trials of life we inevitably face. In the second half of Luke 9, Jesus asked the disciples who the crowds said that he was, and after hearing their reply, he followed it up by asking “But you, who do YOU say that I am?” Peter answered easily, “God’s Messiah”. The crowds may have thought Jesus a prophet, but Peter knew who he was. Demons had been driven out, a dead girl had been raised, people had been healed, thousands had been fed with five loaves and two fish. There were no second doubts, or lingering questions. Peter’s testimony on that day would ring through the ages, but it wouldn’t be long before altogether different words would be on his lips and recorded for us to see. On a darker day, the morning of Jesus’ crucifixion, Peter would adamantly deny God’s Messiah. Three times he would say, “I don’t know him!”

Jesus will ask us on our best days, “Who do you say that I am?” so that our confession will stand as a reminder to us on our worst days. 

Throughout Luke’s gospel we see a continual foreshadowing of the cross to come. Death casts a long shadow. Suffering, shame and sorrow still lurk behind the scenes for their moment in the spotlight. While we are quick to recall Peter’s denial of Jesus, we think less often of his proclamation. The truth of God’s nature does not waver, and whether Peter recognized it or not, God was at work in his life in both accounts. I wonder if when Peter was restored to Jesus after the resurrection, he remembered not only the time he denied Jesus in shame, but the one where he boldly asserted with such confidence to Jesus “You are God’s Messiah”, and thought to himself “It’s really true! Jesus IS who he says he is”. For the rest of his days, it wasn’t fear or shame that compelled him, but settled assurance gave him the courage to proclaim the name of Jesus, even unto death. 

How is God at work in you? Are you confident to joyfully profess his name? Or do you feel like Peter at the crucifixion, frightened, unsure and confused? Take heart. God is doing things in your life today in 10,000 ways, the same as he has been all the days of your life. He is using it all- every single circumstance.

Lord, give us eyes to see. 

Natalie