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Humble Hero
“To whom shall we go?” The disciples had found more peace
and joy since they had accepted Christ than in all their previous lives.
How could they go back to those who scorned and persecuted the
Friend of sinners?
“To whom shall we go?” To the darkness of unbelief, the wicked-
ness of the world? Peter expressed the faith of the disciples—“You
are the Christ.” To be without a Savior was to be adrift on a dark and
stormy sea.
Every word and act of Jesus had its definite purpose in the work
of our redemption. While we cannot now comprehend the ways of
God, we can recognize His great love that motivates all His dealings
with humanity. He who lives near to Jesus will recognize the mercy
that tests the character and brings to light the intentions of the heart.
Love Under All His Dealings
Jesus knew what would be the result of His words. He foresaw
that His agony in Gethsemane, His betrayal and crucifixion, would
be a most trying ordeal to His beloved disciples. If there had been
no previous test, many who were driven by merely selfish motives
would still have been with Jesus and the disciples. When their
Lord was condemned, when the multitude who had hailed Him as
their King hissed at Him and reviled Him, when the jeering crowd
cried, “Crucify Him!”—these self-seeking ones, by renouncing their
allegiance to Jesus, would have brought a bitter, heartburdening
sorrow on the disciples in addition to their grief and disappointment
in seeing their dearest hopes dashed. The example of those who
turned from Him might have carried others with them. But Jesus
brought this crisis on while He could still strengthen the faith of His
true followers by His personal presence.
Compassionate Redeemer! Knowing fully the doom that awaited
Him, He tenderly smoothed the way for the disciples, preparing them
for their greatest trial and strengthening them for the final test!
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