At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”
John 6:66-69 (NLT)
The old saying is, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” but we all know that when the going gets tough, the crowd tends to get smaller. Admiral William McRaven (US Navy, retired), shares about his experiences during “Hell Week” as he became a Navy Seal. McRaven recounts hours spent swimming in freezing water, running miles in the sand, and existing on little to no sleep. During the entire week, instructors kept reminding them of one fact: you can quit any time you want. All a trainee had to do we walk over to a bell and ring it three times and it was over. No more running, no more freezing, no more pain. They could enjoy a warm meal and a warm bed, they just had to ring the bell. Any many, many, many people have rung that bell.
In John 6, there was a “ring the bell” moment. As Jesus engaged people with His teaching, performed miracles, and even fed them, the crowds that followed Him had continued to swell. Then, Jesus began to let them know about the cost of becoming one of His followers. When the going got tough, they got going. Jesus asked His closest followers, the twelve disciples, if they wanted to leave too. Peter spoke up for the group and told Jesus they weren’t going anywhere because He [Jesus] had the words of life. In other words, the cost of following Jesus was worth it because He alone could lead them to eternal life. What a great reminder for us as we pray! That when we ask God for wisdom and take time to listen, He can give us the right words, the words that bring eternal perspective and eternal life. “Speak Lord, Your servant is listening, because you have the words that give eternal life.”
What are some of the words of Jesus that have been most helpful to you in your life?