“Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” (John 6:67-68 NKJV)
What each of us must learn and apply is to lean on God!
We are no stronger than that upon which we lean, whether as a group or as an individual. Those nations who trust in their carnal means shall find themselves depending on that which will not save them.
For a nation or an individual to lean upon the “things of this world” … whether it be wealth, power, fame, and upon one’s own devices and efforts … is like the “Preacher” describes when He speaks of “striving after the wind” throughout the Book of Ecclesiastes.
During His earthly work, Jesus taught the apostles the need to rely upon Him and it was this message that consumed a great deal of His teaching, training, and patience.
Reading from John’s account of the feeding of the 5,000 recorded in John 6:1-14 we find Jesus sitting with His disciples in the mountains bordering the Sea of Galilee (v.3), and “He lifted up His eyes and saw a great multitude coming toward Him” (v.5). Jesus turned to Philip and asked, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (v.5) John tells us that Jesus had asked this question in order to “prove or test him for He Himself knew what He would do.” (v.6)
Philip thought about the amount of bread they would need and answered “200 denarii” … a hefty sum by their standard, the equivalent of 8 months’ salary. And then Philip adds, “It would not be enough or sufficient for them that every one of them may have a little.” (v.7) Andrew then joins the conversation and says, “There is a lad with five barley loaves and two small fish, and adds “but what are they among so many?” (v.8)
In the minds of Philip and Andrew what was lying before them was an impossible situation! They could not imagine a scenario by which they could resolve it.
What they failed to do was to consider the power of Christ. Jesus was teaching these disciples to rely upon Him under all circumstances and for all of their needs! They would eventually learn these lessons and give expression to them in their teaching and inspired writing!
Perhaps, the most significant question each of us should reflect on is this: Have we learned these truths yet? And if so, are we putting them into practice on a daily basis? He has given us such wonderful instructions!
John 20:30-31 “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
John 21:25 “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
We do live in troubling and unsettling times! But we need not become timid, afraid, or live in constant fear and distress!
This same John would by inspiration pen these words found in 1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
God’s people have been promised that if we will make the choice to serve and “… Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)
Bill Fairchild, Jr.
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