Thursday, September 17, 2009

"What is that to you?"

Ok, I do use this blog to put down my thoughts.
This mornings devotional read has really spoken to me and as such this is one of those days when I share it.
"Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them.
(This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?")
When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"
You must follow me.
Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true."


I had read the devotion first before the scripture and wondered, huh?
But now that I read and reread the passage I am beginning to get it and I hope others see this as well.
"It's not about you...or me!"
It is about Jesus.
"Take some time to see what God has about shepherds. This feeding and tending of sheep is an arduous job, and affection for the sheep will not do it. You must have a deeper love than that. You must have a consuming love for the Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Love for men, as men, will never stand the strain of Christian work. In order to catch men for the Lord Jesus Christ, you must love Jesus Christ beyond all others.
Have a consuming passion for Him, and then He will flow through you in a yearning to draw men to Himself." Oswald Chambers

Once again the arrow hits the target.

In the passage, Jesus is telling Peter, "what is that to you?"
Maybe this is a two-fold question?
Mind your business Peter!
And, do you understand what I am saying to you Peter?
Follow me.
Don't wonder about the other guy, trust me.
Don't spend your time with idle chatter, follow me.
This reading and passage speaks so loudly to me at this particular moment in my life with respect to some decisions, to some struggles.
And the crowning part, the bonus.....if I understand this correctly. The disciple writing this dialogue down is the very same man whom they are having the discussion about.
"this is the disciple who testifies" He gets it.
"this is the disciple who testifies and who wrote them down.
We know that his(that is to say Jesus)testimony is true.

Yeah, he really gets it!
And now, so do I.
I absolutely love this final verse of the chapter, of the book of John.
What a statement!

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for all the books that would be written." John 21:25

Now that is a testimony.

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