When God Says …
“Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?” (John 21:23 KJV).
This passage reveals the dynamic of our walk as members in the body of Christ Jesus, saved by grace through faith in Him. With the Lord directing Apostle Peter “you follow me” and hinting of his ultimate martyrdom, Peter turns his attention to Apostle John, saying: 'Lord, what about this man?' This reveals a common tendency among us of being concerned about others’ business than ours. This displays our human propensity to compare our journey with those of others, rather than focusing on our own given assignment.
The Lord’s hypothetical hint about Apostle John’s patience to wait, which the other disciples thought the Lord said that John shall not die, does not jibe with Peter's concern. Instead, of responding to Peter’s curiosity, the Lord Jesus redirects him with the emphatic statement saying: “what is that to you?” This is about personal accountability in faith. We are called to know our path and not be absorbed in the affairs of others. This timeless truth ought to center our lives in our relationship with the risen Christ Jesus, rather than the dynamics of others’ relationship with Him. We are to faithfully pursue and follow the Lord Jesus, be ready in season and out of season, while we “tarry ‘til He comes.”
We don't look at our fellow members in the body of Christ through the lens of comparison and envy. We look at each other by the lens of the Lord’s gospel of grace, with compassion and love, building each other up. This, Apostle Paul exhorts in his epistle to the believers in Thessaloniki. “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-11 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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