To Encourage You

John 21:18-19 “’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.)”

One of the great wonders of the Christian life is how God is at work in our lives to bring glory to Himself.  No matter how weak our faith, no matter how lacking our love, if that faith and love are indeed genuine, God is indeed at work in our lives in wonderful ways.  What a wonderful thing to know that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). 

We have a wonderful example of this in the life of the apostle Peter.  Before the crucifixion, Jesus had prophesied to Peter that, tragically, he would deny Him three times.  And that’s exactly what happened.  But we have a much more wonderful prophesy about Peter in the verses above.  Immediately after Jesus had questioned Peter three times about whether he truly loved Him, He gives the prophesy above about how Peter’s life would end.  Weak, vacillating Peter would one day have such strong faith and love for Christ that he would die for Him with his arms stretched out on a cross, just as Jesus’ own arms had been stretched out on a cross for him.  In this way, Peter would glorify Christ in a magnificent way in the end.  What a wonderful work Jesus would do in Peter’s life.  What great longsuffering love, mercy, and grace Jesus would pour out on Peter for the rest of his days.  What a transformation Jesus would bring to the life of one who was once so fearful and ashamed of Christ that he had denied with cursing that he even knew Him. What a tremendous work the Holy Spirit would do in Peter’s life as he baptized his soul with great power and love. 

May God fill us with His Holy Spirit so that we, like Peter, would be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:9-12).  That’s God’s will for each and every person who is a true follower of Christ, and that’s the promise of God to everyone who believes.