“67 You do not want to leave too, do you? Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
To Whom Shall We Go?
In the sixth chapter of John, we find Jesus feeding the 5,000 with loaves and fishes. Then, Jesus and the disciples left the area to get some rest. But, once the crowd realized they were gone, they went in search of them. Once they found Jesus, He taught them about bread and that He was the bread of life. The group began to argue with Christ, and many deserted Him that day. The people appeared more interested in Jesus’ miracles than His teachings about His true identity.
At the end of the chapter, Jesus askes the disciples if they will leave Him too. But Peter utters a beautiful truth in verse 69; ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” These words still ring true for us amid our trying times. If we walk away from our faith in Christ, where would we go to find something better?
In My Own Life
As I wrote in several previous posts, my son died many years ago, and this week would be his 28th birthday if he lived. After he died, I remember questioning my faith to the point of wondering why I continued to trust in God. Why would God allow my son to die? But then I remembered this story from the Gospel of John. And then, I realized that my journey of grief remained easier with Christ than without Him. Peter’s words uttered all those years ago reassured me in my faith. To whom shall we go when you, Jesus, have the words of eternal life?
Hope Shows us the Way
Even as the world around us mocks our faith, are they any better off without Christ? I do not think so. On the contrary, my faith provides me with a hope that an unbelieving world does not grasp. Moreover, my belief in God assures me that I will see my son again someday. But, my hope in Christ is more than just waiting on my eternal home. So, what other benefits do I get from my hope in Christ?
Benefits of Hope
- Hope can bring us joy and peace during turmoil. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
- Hope can give us courage, strength, and boldness instead of fear. “I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4)
- Hope can provide endurance and patience instead of tempting us to quit. “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:25)
- Hope can offer confidence in the face of doubt. “35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36)
Alternative Options
What does the world offer us that is better than Jesus? It might give us the freedom to sin, but with those freedom comes consequences that leave us feeling empty and unsatisfied. The world provides us selfishness that leaves us wanting more and more, but we can never get enough. And, in the end, a life without God leads us to eternal death. These might sound better in the short term but not a good alternative for all of eternity.
Only Jesus
Only to Jesus is the answer to the question, “To Whom Shall We Go?” The Bible is full of glorious promises of the benefits of following Christ.
- “Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)
- “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” (Psalm 107:9)
- “The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!” (Psalm 22:26)
- “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
“Jesus Christ brings life to weary hearts, hope to burdened minds, and guidance amid the uncertainty of this world.”
Prayer
Heavenly Father, the world wants us to question our faith and why we run to You. Please help us to understand that You are the only source of eternal life. Please remind us of how daily to trust only in You and Your ways. Thank you for the gift of hope. In Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.
Do you need prayer? I would love to pray for you. Submit your prayer request on my website at https://yvonne-morgan.com/submit-your-prayer-request-here/
Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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