The Road Not Chosen - I have read and reread Jesus' post-resurrection discussion with Peter in John 21:15-23 many, many times in the last few months. I want to particularly focus on verses 18 and 19. It goes as follows:
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Now here's the point... It is characteristic of us to be independent-minded and think that freedom means the we can do what we want, when we want, with whomever we want. Those who don't have a covenantal relationship with Jesus are under the illusion of freedom. In essence, our enemy, the devil gives us just enough rope to hang ourselves. And hang ourselves we do. Some sooner, some later. At any rate, such have an illusion of freedom, but are really held captive by the devil to do his will -- according to Hebrews 2.
By contrast, we who are in covenant with Jesus have been set free from that bondage and put into his service. Get that? Not set free to go our own way, but to be servants of the perfect master. This relationship may take us places we would never choose to go on our own. That was Jesus' message to Peter. Following Jesus was going to take him places he wouldn't have chosen himself, but that is the cost of service.
My wife, Cindy and I had a related situation in our lives a couple of months ago. It began with unusual post-menopausal bleeding. A series of diagnostic procedures were unconclusive but left the doctor with enough suspicion that she recommended a complete hysterectomy -- something she knew we would avoid, if at all possible. After the surgery, we waited several days for the biopsy results. As I was driving to the hospital the third morning after the surgery, I received a call on my cell phone. Cindy said the doctor and the surgeon had both been there to see her. Then she told me what I didn't expect to hear -- that they found a malignant tumor.
So began a road neither of us ever expected to go down. To make a long story short, after several weeks and conferring with several doctors, she has now been through about three weeks of radiation treatments, with about three more weeks to go. Due to the type of cancer she had, there will be no chemotherapy and with the surgery and follow up radiation, her outlook is very good. Through it all we have gotten to experience more of our Lord's faithfulness than ever, but we would never have chosen this way ourselves.
