Today as I am thinking about going to my chemo infusion appointment, Jesus’ words to Peter come to mind, “when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go" (John 21:18). Indeed, this morning I will “stretch out my hand,” and a needle will be thrust into my veins infusing a toxic substance. I can assure you this “takes me where I don’t want to go.” While I am aware Jesus’ words to Peter refer to the latter’s death, they most certainly also imply death to one's desire for independence: “follow Me” (20:21).
No one likes to imagine themselves getting ‘old’ and dependent. But it will surely happen. And how well we handle that loss of control at 65 depends entirely on how well we handled it at 25, 35, 45, and 55.
That's exactly how dependent Jesus was from the Father through the Holy Spirit. The Perfect Man was a man wholly dependent on God. We can look to Him as our great example.
ReplyDeleteDependence is nothing but the expression of humility. -Trough humility we receive the grace to depend on God-. The Lord Jesus was the only one person that could be totally independent, but in order to provide for our salvation and show us the way God intended for us to live, He had to live as a perfect man, dependent, in submission to the Father's will. That's a daily dying to self.
Meekness is regarded as one of the highest treasures in our Father's eyes. Jesus was the example, and we can follow only by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Thank you so much for your addition to today's thought. Dependence is a scary thing unless we have died to self!!
ReplyDeleteHIS power is indeed made perfect in our weekness. Thx for your great testimony.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for you pain. Love you, Patti
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