To Whom Shall We Go?
Author: Kelly Packard
March 08, 2020
John 6: 60, 67-68 “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” “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.”
What is your “hard
teaching”? What is difficult to accept? I have been able to verbalize and
visualize a comparison to accepting my “hard teaching”. Acceptance, for me, is like swallowing nails.
It’s painful. It is not a one-time thing. It has to be done over and over. With
each swallow, its pain is destructive to the tissue that lines my throat. Has
this continual swallowing caused me to think about leaving the hope found in
Jesus Christ? No! To whom else would I go? I go to the One who has the words of eternal life. Jesus.
What does it look
like for me to “go to the One who has the words of eternal life”? It is a continual turning to Jesus. A turning
of my spiritual, emotional, and mental capacities to Him. I turn to Him by
acknowledging who He is, the Truth He brings, and therefore, the hope that is
revealed and secure. I choose to have my response be like that of Simon Peter.
“We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John
6:69). The result of this daily turning and acknowledgement is His touch to the
lining of my throat. Day after day. Finding His mercy new every swallow. There is a healing balm from His touch. With
each glance and gaze upon Him, I’m enabled to swallow my “hard”. It’s the
extravagant grace of my Savior, Jesus. It’s a perspective shift from the
reality of my pain to the reality of my Hope.
The circumstance
that caused my pain remains. Yet there is Hope.
1 Peter 1:6-9 “In all this you greatly rejoice, though
now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth
than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise,
glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him,
you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and
are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the
end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
This truth assures me that with each turning of my heart,
mind and soul to Jesus, reaffirming my belief in Him, I am receiving the end
result of my faith, the salvation of my soul. This truth continues to provide a
healing salve to the lining of my throat with each swallow of acceptance. With
each touch of His power upon my being, He forms healthier layers of lining in
my throat as I surrender my pain to Him.
Revelation 21:4-5 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of
things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making
everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy
and true.”
But what do I do in the meantime when this hope doesn’t
change my circumstances? I once heard that the meantime is a mean time.
I let the Living Word, fuel me from day to day. Focused on the promises yet to
be fulfilled. I don’t just wait and hold my breath. I allow my daily hope
infusion to stimulate activity and participation into the things He calls me to
that point to Him. I allow this daily hope to engage the day. Eager to see how
the Lord desires to use my life as He most certainly prepares me for this
guaranteed eternity in His Presence. As I engage each day, I believe the Lord
is accomplishing the refining of my faith.
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