You Have the Words: Who Do You Seek When You Need Reassurance?

Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.” From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:65–68, NIV)

Bad days, we all have them. Those mornings when we wake to face one dilemma after another, and then things continue to go wrong until we feel we just can’t go on. When I have those kinds of days, I turn to friends for comfort. I seek out friends who will offer words of encouragement and assurance that I will feel better.

In chapter six of the book of John, Jesus had fed the 5,000, walked on water, talked about being the bread of life, and garnered a large following. But then he talked about some things that bothered many. He said God is the one who gives the gift of submissive faith. His words were focused on the spiritual, not just the physical.

He said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6: 63, NIV)

That’s when a number of his followers had had enough of Jesus. They walked away. Perhaps they realized he wasn’t going to overthrow the government or make them rich. We don’t know all of the reasons why they or why anyone chooses to step away from Jesus. The

words to eternal life When my son died, my season of deep sorrow caused me to wonder if following Jesus was too difficult. I had been a believer for decades, but losing a child knocked me down. I felt abandoned by Jesus. I wanted to leave my faith. Yet, where else was there to go? Peter’s response to Jesus’ question played inside my heart.

To whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. Life — both now and for eternity. That’s what Jesus promised us. He is the Messiah. He is the son of the living God. He is one worthy of our praise. Th

rough his life, death, and resurrection, he became the logic of our universe. With the help of loving friends who listened to me in my anguish, I was able to grow in my faith. As my commitment to Jesus deepened, I knew that when we draw near to Jesus he draws near to us, providing, caring, loving, and never leaving. Hope in a chaotic world

Jesus calls us his friends and his disciples. He reassures us that he is the Holy One of God. As we take his words and write them on our hearts and minds, we learn to abide in him, looking to him for our daily needs. We discover that he’s trustworthy even in our darkest seasons. His words are the hope and reassurance we need in a chaotic world. Let’s pray

Holy One of God, please help us want to spend time in Your Word so that we can build our faith as we embrace all that you have for us, including eternal life. Amen.

First published on Medium.com.