Many of us would like to think that we are bold for Christ ... that if we were to encounter difficulty or conflict, we would stand for him. On the night that Jesus was to be betrayed, he informed his disciples that he would be going away and that they could not follow him ... at that time. They would be able to follow him again ... later.
33 "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"
Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." John 13:33, 36 NIV Peter wanted to follow then. His response implied total commitment: 37 Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." John 13:37 NIV Peter had been with the Christ for 3 years. He did love Jesus and I truly believe he wanted to follow him and in his mind, he was ready to lay down his life. In the garden, when confronted by the soldiers who had come to take Jesus, he was the one to draw his blade to protect Christ. This did demonstrate a willingness, to some extent, to die. However, this statement and his "fight" in the garden, was a rash response. Peter was not prepared. He was responding out of his own power. Ultimately, he failed and denied Christ as a result.
Jesus did not tell the disciples that they could not follow him ever. He said that they could not follow him "now" ... then, at that moment. What Jesus was about to experience required divine power! The disciples did not yet possess that power. To Peter's rash response, Jesus replied: 38 Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! John 13:38 NIV We sing "all to thee my blessed savior." Really? Have we really laid it all out there for Jesus? The truth is that we struggle following Christ. We're a lot like Peter. We want to. We rationalize in our minds that we will or can. Nevertheless, we fall so short ... constantly.
Peter ultimately did give up his life for Christ. What was the difference? In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised us the power that he had to help us to follow him. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 NIV For anything that we do, we need to ensure that we have and are relying on the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives for clarity, for courage, and for commitment. Even then, because of our humanity, we will fall short of accomplishing all that God has for us. In Romans 7, Paul describes this struggle -- the battle over doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong.
Thank God for his grace and mercy. Have the passion to follow Christ through the power of his Spirit. But, don't beat yourself up when you fail. Be "prayed up" before you take on your day. We need his power to live for him. He will help us to do just that. |
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