To Whom Shall We Go?

"After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 

So Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you want to go away as well?' Simon Peter answered him, 

'Lord, to whom shall we go?...'" John 6:68

The chosen twelve had just witnessed, first hand, the falling away of many so called disciples. These were followers who had seen the miraculous yet when Jesus' words became difficult to accept, they quickly disbanded, possibly moving on to the next "savior". And perceiving their thoughts, Jesus posed a legitimate question to his inner circle. Despite his feelings, Peter, always quick with an answer, responds, "Lord, to whom shall we go?".

How often the Christ follower is reminded that the path of true discipleship is both narrow and difficult. At times it feels as if we are being asked to bear more than is "our fair share" while others around us seem to be coasting from blessing to blessing. We're tempted, to raise our fists defiantly and shout, "Enough!". Yet, in the grand eternal scheme of things, what is the alternative? Any other route in this life may be easier and less intrusive, but in the end it will always fall short, leading to a dead end.

Peter's response is a wise one:

"...Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God." (Jn. 6:68, 69)

Even when we are asked to walk a path of grief and pain or to watch a dream shatter before our tear filled eyes, there is no better, safer alternative than to abide in the One who has called us. 

"And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up on the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day." (Jn. 6:39,40)