Don’t Be Distracted – Just Follow Me

John 21:19

New International Version

Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

For Encouragement

Bravado, denial, disillusionment, fallback to old ways, failure, and disappointment—Simon Peter knew this road well and traveled it for gold. However, that was not his lot in life. Jesus had much more for the man He had prepared to lead His church. So, in the early morning in one of His post-resurrection appearances on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus met him and his friends, disappointed and wallowing in failure after a futile all-night fishing trip. Jesus refreshed them over broiled fish and bread for breakfast, after which He restored Peter. The way He did it must have brought into sharp focus Peter’s personal weaknesses, and conveyed to him his need for divine enablement to succeed in his assigned responsibilities.

The Lord’s repeated question to Simon was penetrating. “Simon, son of John. Do you love me?” (John 21:15, 16, 17).

Peter’s first two responses were sincere but not convincing (15, 16). Guilt can weaken a man’s confidence, but thank God He knows the integrity of our hearts.

In each response, Christ gave Peter a charge and mandate. For the third time, Jesus repeated His question, “Do you love me?” He had been with the Lord for three years, so he understood the Lord’s repeated question. They revealed his weakness despite his gallantry, and that hurt him. It is painful when someone says something that highlights our weakness.

Peter surrendered his weakness to Jesus.

Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.

How else could he express it, and isn’t that what the Lord expects from us—to surrender our weaknesses to Him? (2 Corinthians 12:9).

“Jesus said, Feed my sheep.”

Peter has his commission now and is almost rejoicing in his heart, but there is more for him. Jesus told him the way he would die, not a pretty way to die, but reminiscent of how He, Jesus, died. Then He added a command:

“Follow me!” (19).

This command has loads of reminders and hope. Jesus was telling Peter:

“I have tread victoriously on the path I am calling you to journey with me. I know the pain and suffering that would challenge you, but I know how to conquer them and move you to higher grounds, and I will see you through. Please don’t go ahead of me and don’t retreat in cowardice again. Just follow me. But I also know your tendency towards distraction as on the sea-walk with me (Matthew 14:28-31). Your show of bravado in Gethsemane was also a showoff and unnecessary, as I told you (John 18:10-11). This call is serious business, so don’t blow it, Peter. Follow me!

With a pounding heart, Peter follows the Lord for a beach stroll. He hears some familiar footsteps behind them. It is John following them, and his curiosity asks,

Lord, what about him?

Peter! Peter! Peter!

Did you hear the Lord a few minutes ago about distractions? But we are so much like Peter. We concern ourselves with other people’s matters than our own, which are screaming for attention. As the Lord said, leave that to me, Peter. It’s not your concern.

His message today as His disciples is: Don’t get distracted. Just follow me with your eyes fastened on me, for I am the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith, and you will ride into victory with me.

Shalom

Because of Him, We Live

2 Samuel 9:1

New Living Translation (NLT)

One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

For Meditation

Imagine the day Ziba broke the news of King David’s invitation to Mephibosheth in Lo Debar (2 Samuel 9:1-8). The city’s name signified a rebellious place with no leader or shepherd, without order or pasture, and barren—not a place for anybody to desire to live. Such was the spiritual condition of the city where the disabled son of Jonathan lived, cut off from the richness of the land his grandfather once ruled. I can see his surprise.

“Who, me?”

“Yes, you, Mephibosheth. King David has thrown a banquet and every prominent person in the nation has gathered in Jerusalem. They will not sit down to dine until you join them at his table. Hurry up; for we can’t keep his Majesty waiting,” Ziba said.

Over in the palace at Jerusalem, the king’s children, generals, and dignitaries waited for the dinner to start. Their appetites mounting as they waited for this person, without whom dinner would not begin. “Who is he?” General Joab asked Absalom.

The door swings open, and Ziba announces the entrance of Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan, the king’s deceased best friend.

“What! Is this cripple the reason for our long wait?” Joab angrily asked Absalom.

David said, “Mephibosheth!”

“At your service,” he replied.

“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan … and you will always eat at my table” (2 Samuel 9:6-7).

The beauty of grace; how marvelous!

Mephibosheth bowed and said, “What is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me?”

Mephibosheth had fallen as a baby and become crippled in both feet and rendered undeserving to sit at the king’s table. He considered himself a dead dog. Still, David showed him royal kindness because of his father, Jonathan!

When we read Ephesians 2:8-9, let’s picture this scene and see ourselves in Mephibosheth—crippled in both feet, a wasted dead dog—but God noticed us and called us to Himself because of Christ Jesus. It is all grace! As Paul wrote to Titus:

At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:3-6)?

As recipients of this grace, can we show kindness to one another for the sake of Jesus? Can we share this love with a dying world because of what Christ has done for us?

Only our actions motivated by love for Christ will stand before Him in judgment.

Shalom

Prioritizing the Honor Due Jesus

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John 5:12

New International Version – UK

So they asked him, ‘Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?’

For Meditation

His healing was instant and otherworldly. Who commands a human body to attention and wholeness like the Carpenter from Nazareth? His word had healed the man. He could go home to live an everyday life like he did before his predicament, but was it the goal of his healing? What about the man who healed him?

Jesus, in His mercy and grace, had purposefully come to the pool to heal this man. He chose not to heal anyone else. This was a profound privilege for the man, a cause for immense joy and deep thankfulness.

The day Jesus healed the man was a Sabbath, and the law of the Pharisees and Sanhedrin forbade carrying a burden. Picking his mat infringed on the Sabbath law, he therefore faced inquisition. So they asked him,

“Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk (12)?”

The man was in a state of perplexity. He could not comprehend Jesus, as He had slipped away from them. This leaves us with a mystery, inviting us to ponder over the man’s character and his encounter with Jesus at the temple later on.

Grace had healed him, and grace had more to do with his life, so the Lord warned him.

See, you are well again. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you (14).

You would think the man would go down at Jesus’s feet and thank Jesus for His grace that healed him, but he didn’t. Instead, he ran to the authorities and reported Jesus to them. Pleasing the authorities over the temple and its worship system became his priority instead of the Person the entire Levitical worship system represented. As Paul said in his exalted prosecution of humankind in his Epistle to the Romans:

“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen” (Romans 1:25).

How much time do we commit to deepening our relationship with Jesus, our Savior, to commend Him to others by our lives and word?

The man was so preoccupied with pleasing the authorities that he missed a crucial opportunity. He failed to prioritize knowing and worshiping the Creator before whom he stood. This scenario, unfortunately, is all too familiar in our churches today. We often prioritize our leaders and the traditions we’ve established, neglecting the true worship of the Lord of the church.

The world asks us the same question the Jewish leaders asked the man: Who is the fellow who told you to get up, pick up your mat, and walk from your sin paralysis? Can we give a testimony that articulates the identity of Jesus to the inquiring world?

Let us pause and consider: have we spent enough time with Jesus, knowing Him and reflecting His image to the world? This is a question that each of us must answer for ourselves.

Refocus for Your Healing

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John 5:7

New International Version – UK

‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’

For Encouragement

They gathered expectantly at the pool of Bethesda; a place believed to have healing powers. The angels were said to stir the water, and the first person to enter the pool after this stirring would be healed. Unfortunately, not all received their healing. Imagine the anticipation and struggle of the people and the disappointment that swept through the significant number of disabled— “the blind, the lame, [and] the paralyzed” (John 5:4).

The race to get in was a classic survival of the fittest among the disabled. How could this man, an invalid for thirty-eight years get ahead of this pack that included man relatively strong people like the deaf, dumb, leprous, or partially sighted?

Jesus walks in one day, and learns of the man’s condition, and asks him:

“Do you want to get well?”

The Lord always asks a question from a completely informed position. Nothing eludes His Omniscience. He asks only to focus the recipient’s attention on Him and incite faith for a miracle.

The man’s response was a classic blame game, revealing the heart that does not look within itself for clues and guidance but blames everybody for its circumstances.

‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’

Step back for a second and observe the man’s argument. Yes, he wants to get well. That’s why he has stationed himself at the pool to wait for the angel’s visitation, which he considered his only hope for healing. However, the obstacles overwhelm him every time the pool gets stirred. Worse of all, people are selfish and inconsiderate.

“So don’t blame me, mister whoever you are.”

The man’s response echoes in the valley of despair everywhere these days, but how refreshing the mercy and grace of God in Christ.

Jesus did not rebuke the man, but just said,

“Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (8).

These words, spoken with authority and love, transformed the man’s life in an instant, a demonstration of the power of Jesus to heal and restore.

Isn’t it sweet?

When you become overwhelmed and frustrated, the Prince of Peace says, take your eyes from the human objects of your hope and expectation. I am the Healer you have waited for, with the wrong focus all these years, and now I have come. Have faith in my word, and it will heal you.

Now, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

The waiting was over. Anxiety had seized. Joy had replaced disappointment and frustration. After thirty-eight years, the invalid was whole again because the Savior intervened, and he will for you. This transformation, from a life of suffering and despair to one of joy and wholeness, is a testament to the power and love of Jesus.

So, stop worrying that nothing is working for you, and look to the Savior in you to bring glory to the Father in your situation. Yield to Him by faith and receive mercy and grace for a miracle in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Shalom

Of Promises and Conditions

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Joshua 1:7

New International Version

 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”

For Encouragement

In Joshua 1:8 b, God not only promised Joshua prosperous ways and success (NKJ), but He also reassured him of these blessings. The Standard College dictionary defines prosperous as successful; flourishing, and success as a favorable or expected outcome of something attempted. God emphasized His promise of guaranteed success in the undertakings of His servant in the Promised Land. This reassurance is what Joshua needed to hear, and I believe it is precisely what we all want to hear from God now.

It’s crucial not to overlook a vital aspect of this enticing promise from God—the conditions that are intricately tied to it.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all written in it (8a).

It’s like taking medicine when we are sick. We want to be healed by it, but want nothing to do with its bitter taste. Believers do the same thing. We want the promises of God, but not the conditions that come with them. Drug manufacturers have found a way out by coating the pill, putting it in a capsule, or adding flavor to reduce the bitterness. Likewise, believers want to rationalize or manipulate God’s word to avoid the conditions. We claim these promises and pray all day long, hoping to twist the arm of God to make our ways prosperous and successful. However, nobody can manipulate God. His arm is too big and strong for any of us to twist. He means what He says, and He does not play favoritism. His word is unchangeable.

God’s message to Joshua was straightforward:

Obey my instructions and I will make your ways prosperous and give you outstanding success in the Promised Land. No one can stand before you and prevail all the days of your life. Only hold on to my word with a firm grip and let your stand be unwavering.

The summary above is the essence of being strong and courageous (vv. 6a, 7a, 9a). It’s not just a command, but a path to empowerment and responsibility. Obedience to God’s word is the key to unlocking His promises, and it’s in our hands if we take this challenge.

The outcome is stark and sobering. As long as Joshua lived, the people followed God and experienced success. Before his passing, he urged them to fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and truth … (and) choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … (24:14-15) so they may continue to prosper. However, after his death, everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). The result was not just a lack of prosperity, but failure and defeat instead of success. This serves as a stark reminder of the harsh consequences of not adhering to God’s instructions.

God promises us many things in the Bible, ours to claim for His glory. But many of them come with conditions we have to meet if we are to claim them. It’s not just about fulfilling these conditions, but also about having faith in God’s faithfulness and His ability to fulfill His promises. So, let’s determine to fulfill the conditions in His word, and the promises will be ours to claim.

What Have We Done?

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Exodus 14:5-6

New International Version

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him.

For Meditation

What have we done?

The sound echoes through centuries of history from the Palace of the king of the most powerful nation on earth—Egypt. It is not just a tale of the past, but a story that resonates with today’s struggles.

Jacob’s descendants ended centuries of slavery and gave Pharaoh a rude awakening. The Hebrews grew from seventy to over two million during their time in Egypt. Their plea reached the Most High, who delivered them.

Moses, the instrument God chose, delivered His message to Pharaoh to let His people go, but Pharaoh defied the Most High.

“I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So, I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go” (Exodus 3:19-20).

And a mighty hand compelled Pharaoh indeed! God devastated Egypt with one plague after another until finally, Pharaoh, unable to bear the weight of his defiance, drove Israel out. The people, who had known only suffering and oppression, now breathed the fresh air of liberty and freedom. They set on the road to the Promised Land, their hearts filled with hope and anticipation.

Witness the joyful aroma as families leave Egypt. Hear the melodic voices singing freedom songs and the fading sound of marching sandals. Hope has come, bringing potential for a brighter tomorrow.

“We are free at last!”

But No! Not so fast, people!

It hurts to lose free labor. Egypt cannot adjust to doing the things their slaves did for free. How can they function without the pleasure of bullying some people and calling them awful names? It is uncomfortable for Pharaoh and his officials to see their former slaves develop into a new nation with so much potential to outclass Egypt someday. They feel the threat because they have lived with them and know their ability if given the opportunity. So, the anguished cry of regret from Pharaoh’s Palace:

“What have we done?”

Pharaoh gives chase with the best of his charioteers—six hundred of his elite squad. He has to bring them back. They must remain in servitude, for that is their only position in life.

All over the world today, the struggle continues. It is not just a historical event, but a recurring social theme—a class war. It’s a battle between those who fear losing superiority and the liberated folks they seek to subdue. This struggle, echoing the past, is our struggle, a shared journey of oppression and resilience.

The end of the story is not just sweet, but a testament to the triumph of divine justice. When Egypt thought they had Israel trapped without a possibility of escape, the Red Sea, at the command of the Most High, became the instrument of their liberation. This was not just a physical liberation, but a manifestation of divine justice, a reminder that the oppressed will always find deliverance in the face of adversity.

What a picture of our salvation (Colossians 1:13-14) and the spiritual warfare believers wage against the forces of evil (Galatians 5:16-18; Ephesians 6:10-18) until glory dawns on us (Colossians 3:4). The good news is that in Christ we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:31-39).

May the oppressed take heart, for our compassionate God will deliver in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Shalom

If You Think You’re Standing

Luke 22:31-32

New International Version

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

For Meditation

The schemes of the devil are subtle and ensnaring. Without the Lord, we have no chance against them.

We feel spiritually solid and impregnable because we know our word and pray. People recognize our spiritual vitality and maturity. They respond with respect and come to us for counseling. When the allegation came against that brother for sexual impropriety, who else could they appoint to lead the investigation than us?

We breeze through the case without mercy. “How could he do such a thing after the Pastor’s excellent teaching and recent sermon series? And he is not even repentant enough.” So, we recommend the harshest disciplinary action and move on.

Sometime later, you travel on business. A meeting lingers, and you dine late and alone in the dimly lit hotel restaurant. The lady across from your table sends you an occasional parcel of smiles. You pay no attention at first, but she persists. You sit there with confidence and give her a cocky smile in response, “Not me, lady! Go get one of your types somewhere.”

The next day, you are on a flight home, lost in your thoughts. “How did it happen? How can I face my wife today? Do I have the guts to confess it? How will the church react if they hear about it?”

The fact is, we are very human and weak in this world without our Savior. We will always fall until we acknowledge this and humble ourselves under His Sovereign protection and constant intercession (Rm. 8:34). Pride is our worst enemy. Still, we can hardly believe we are swimming in its warm pool.

Follow the discourse of Jesus with the disciples at the Last Supper table with me as Dr. Luke tells the story, and let’s observe some things together.

Jesus warned the disciples against the leadership style of the world, recommended His servanthood model in its place (Lk. 22:24-30), and addressed Peter in his self-confident posture.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (31-32).

To appreciate the force of Jesus’s statement, walk through Peter’s failures after this event with me. He slept in Gethsemane (45), followed the Lord at a distance after His arrest (54), denied the Lord three times as the Lord predicted (55-62), absent from the crucifixion scene (Matthew 27:55-56), failed to grasp the resurrection report from the women (Luke 24:11-12), and went back to his old business (John 21:3). It was all downhill until the Lord intervened and restored him after the fishing fiasco on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias (15-19). Do you see how worse things could have been for Peter without the Lord’s intercessory prayer?

So, let’s take the admonition of Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:12 seriously and appreciate Jesus’s current intercessory ministry in heaven on our behalf.

“If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Shalom

Quenching That Thirst

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Psalm 42:2

New International Version (NIV)

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?

For meditation

The Psalmist, in his poignant words, expresses a deep yearning for God’s presence, asking when he could go to meet Him in the temple (Psalm 42:1). This intense desire, like a fish out of water, is a palpable yearning to leave the dry place and enter God’s presence, the fountain of life, from whose presence flows streams of living water.

God is not just a part of his life, but the very essence of his being. The Psalmist has cultivated an intimate and dependent life with Him, which he cherishes. He thirsts for God as for water in the desert, especially when he cannot sense His presence (Psalm 42:2).

Today is Tuesday, the second day after that Spirit-filled worship service, where the Holy Spirit immersed us in Christ. Are you feeling a dryness already? Did dawn bring a yearning to be in His Presence for a closer and more intimate fellowship through the week?

Thank God for the Holy Spirit and the written Word; we don’t have to go into a physical building to secure His presence. Our bodies are His temple (1 Corinthians 6: 19).

Life has bumps and challenges of many kinds, and today is no exception. Perhaps it’s a tough conversation with a loved one, a demanding work project, or a health issue. Whatever it is, remember that dryness will come as you struggle through the busyness of your day. What will you miss the most, and what will you reach out for in those moments?

Imagine a stroll with Jesus through the woods, with the backdrop of waterfalls and chirping birds at such times. Isn’t that refreshing? Can you make that your experience with Christ in the word and prayer?

As a beloved disciple of Jesus, He has intricately woven your life into His, so you should miss Him when something drives a wedge between you and Him.

Paul said it this way.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Jesus was Paul’s life, and ours too, as believers.

Our Lord sought closeness with the Father while on earth, and He calls us to the same desire for intimacy with Him every day, especially when the going gets tough.

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” when they got so busy that they could not “even have a chance to eat (Mk. 6:31)?” This is the closeness He wants for us as His disciples, a time of rest and rejuvenation in His presence.

May we accept this call and step away with our Lord to a quiet place for Him to strengthen, refresh, and refocus us each day.

Shalom

God’s Terror – Our Hedge

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Genesis 35:5

New International Version

Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

For Meditation

The protection of the Lord. How absolute and impenetrable. Satan knows it and gets frustrated around you. Unfortunately, the people of God do not have that intimate faith in this truth, one pillar of our Christian faith. The common saying is true: if you do not know your authority, someone can use it against you. Because Christians do not know the absolute protection God has thrown around us, the enemy uses that lack of knowledge to put fear in us.

Jacob was a man who sat on the edge most of his early life. His deceptive dealings with his brother Esau sent him running for his life to his uncle in Haran. God was with Jacob and was protecting him, but he did not know until God revealed Himself to him in a dream at Bethel (Genesis 28:10-22).

Fourteen years later, Jacob was on the run again, this time from Laban. He did not know how God had protected him from his uncle (31:29-31).

Fear gripped Jacob when he prepared to meet Esau, his brother. However, God had gone ahead of him and made peace between the two feuding brothers (32:1-33:17). Jacob’s elaborate protection plan meant nothing in the face of Esau’s cordial reception.

In today’s passage, we read about his two children, Simeon and Levi who had done the unimaginable to endanger Jacob and his family by slaughtering all the males of Shechem for raping their sister Dinah (34:1-31). Again, God appeared and assuaged his worries and instructed Jacob what to do (35:1). The man had learned enough about the God of His fathers, Abraham and Isaac, to consecrate his family for the journey to Bethel in obedience to God (2-4).

Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns around them so that no one pursued them (5).

When you have learned enough about God to trust Him and give away all the things you hold on to as your strength and safety, God throws His perfect protection around you and makes you secure among your enemies. He throws His terror on all the surrounding enemies in Christ so that none can pursue or touch you.

Psalm 91:1-16 is a perfect testimony to the protection of God around His obedient children.

He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge … A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand by your right hand, but it will not come near you (4-7).

His protection is absolute around the righteous, as Satan confessed in Job’s case (Job 1:10).

So, rest in this exalted promise this week, and let the glory of the Lord shine through your total submission and obedience to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All glory and honor rise to Him forever, amen.