Daily Encouragement: Day 311

Adapted from Handbook to Spiritual Growth

NO TURNING BACK

After declaring Himself the “living bread that came down out of heaven,” Jesus added these words: “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. … He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:54–56). These mysterious words caused many of His disciples to stumble, and they began to argue with one another. John goes on to say that, “as a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore.” Jesus asked the Twelve if they were also going to leave Him, to which Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:66–69).

I seriously doubt Peter had a clearer understanding of Jesus’ difficult statements than the many disciples who withdrew from Him. The difference is that while the disciples who left were simply curious or even convinced, Peter and the other disciples who continued to walk with Jesus were committed. Their commitment to the Lord extended beyond their mental grasp, because they had learned to trust Him even when they could not understand Him. They realized nothing else in this world would do; there was nowhere else they could go.

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