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Follow Me
Andrea Lende • November 22, 2020
John 21:21-22
Follow Me
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Follow-Me-emqi9j
John 21:21-22
“When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man?”
“Jesus said to him, If I want him to stay (survive, live) till I come, what is that to you? [What concern is it of yours?] You follow Me!”
Jesus’ response to Peter really pierced my heart today.
I have read this passage so many times, written about it, and even spoken about it.
However, today it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Jesus was getting ready to ascend to heaven.
He was talking primarily to Peter even though the other disciples were present.
And He was asking Peter to take care of His people.
Three times Jesus asked Peter to care for, tend to, and feed His people.
Peter would eventually do as the Lord asked of him.
But for a moment Peter was being real and being human.
He asked the Lord what was going to happen to His disciple John – the one whom Jesus loved.
Jesus didn’t sugar coat His answer.
He didn’t even really answer Peter’s question.
He answered his question the way a parent might answer a child.
He said, don’t worry about John.
Don’t be concerned with whatever privileges John may or may not get.
Jesus told Peter to simply follow Him.
That was it.
Put on the blinders and follow Jesus.
It’s the message I needed to hear.
There is so much noise in the world today.
There is so much chaos and unrest all around us.
Questions arise about our futures.
What are we to do?
What are we to think?
Jesus would say, do not worry about any of it – just “follow Me”.
The Lord redirects my heart to Him every time.
Every time I start questioning myself, He directs my attention to Him.
I love how He can speak to my heart in such a profound way even two thousand years after He spoke the same words to His disciples’ hearts.
Today I refocus and redirect my mind, soul, and heart toward Jesus as I simply follow Him.
May you find as you refocus your energy on following Jesus that He will direct your steps and you will be led by Him.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me that my focus should be to follow You. Thank You for showing me Your plan for me is perfect and specific to me. Help me follow You, Lord. Help me stay on the path You lead me on. Keep my focus on You and only You. Help me hear Your gentle whispers and be obedient to Your call, Father. Put the blinders on me and keep me from looking to the world and allowing the chaos to shift my focus. Help me serve You as You have designed me to do from the beginning of time. May Your peace be upon me and Your mercy flow over my life. May You shower me with Your grace as I walk toward You, Lord. Keep me Yours. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM the way, the truth, and the life for you My child, and you need only look to Me to lead and guide you.
Response: You are my only Guide and Light as I traverse this earth, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.