“This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” - John 6:60
“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.’ Then Jesus replied, ‘Have I not chosen you, the Twelve?…”
- John 6:66 - 70
Such harsh teaching, such suffering sits before me. Taking up my cross and dying to myself each day. Loving my enemy. Losing my life to find it. The list goes on and on. He would ask me, ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ and I could only confidently reply, “You have said, ‘no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.’” - John 6:65
So I would ask, “Have You not chosen me my Lord?” (John 6:70) Because it is only by Your power that I would be able to follow. This life that I live for my God will be difficult and may be full of suffering. The road is truly narrow, but if it is Your will, I am comforted, because you will see it through to the end (Philippians 1:6). My strength will fail. It is impossible for me to follow You, but praise You Lord, You have made a way. You gave Your Son to make this possible and have given us Your Holy Spirit that I might be empowered to follow (John 14:26-27). What have I to fear? My God is for me! The same power that created the heavens and the earth dwells in me! You don’t even need to lift a finger, all you had to do was SPEAK and LIGHT came into EXISTENCE! Yet THIS is the Lord that was crucified. THIS is the Lord who gave His life for me, a being made from dust. It is in the realization of Christ’s love for me that I may persevere in the midst of trials. I may even rejoice in my sufferings. This is not because I enjoy pain, but to know that I have a blessed hope that will never be taken away from me despite my circumstances. Let me continue to remember the gospel of Jesus Christ and be refueled and full of joy to continue to march forward for Your Kingdom!
