You Follow Me!

"To wait is not merely to remain impassive. 

It is to expect - to look for with patience, and also with submission. 

It is to long for, but not impatiently; 

to look for, but not to fret at the delay;
to watch for, but not restlessly; 

to feel that if He does not come we will acquiesce,

 and yet to refuse to let the mind acquiesce in the feeling that He will not come." 

-Dr. A.D. Davidson

In John 21:22 Jesus was talking to Peter during His appearance after the resurrection. This is after Jesus had asked Peter three times if Peter Loved Him, and Jesus gives Peter a small glimpse as to what it will look like if Peter follows Him. If Christ were to suddenly show up and give me a grasp as to what the end of my life was going to look like, I think I'd be speechless. As I read this, I was pulled deeper into it, able to picture the reaction of silence that I believed should be had... But not Peter. No, Peter promptly takes his focus off of Christ and turns around, looking at John (who was following them) and goes "what about him, Jesus?" I can only imagine the look on Jesus' face... Disappointment? Frustration? Or just a deep understanding of who Peter was? He has invested so much into Peter, teaching him before His crucifixion and Loving him even after he denied Him. His response to Peter:

"If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" 

(Italics my own)

We get so caught up in everyone else. We have good intentions about praying for other people. We respond to the calling to go out and witness to other people. But I believe that there are times when we get too caught up in those around us. There is nothing wrong with praying for others, near or far. We are commanded to pray, and I have people I pray for every single morning and evening! The problem arises when Christ asks us to follow Him in something, large or small, and we are consistently turning around and saying "Hey Jesus, what about them? What do you want them to do?" When all that matters at that very moment is that He wants us to follow Him. No "if this" or "what about him/her." When we follow Him, our focus is to be forward, on Him. Not on everyone else around us and what we think they may or may not be doing. He wants our attention and energy to go into Him.

Sometimes following Him includes waiting. I think this might be one of the most tight-rope-like walks we are called to, challenged to wait on His leading, direction, or guidance, all the while not wasting the time He has given us. We wait for _____ and hopefully, we ask Him to use the period of waiting to grow in us more Love for Him. Or maybe we ask Him to grow us in patience. Or grace. Or mercy. Or kindness. The possibilities are abundant. For Peter, his call of "Follow Me" included the knowledge of a painful death that he would be awaiting for the rest of his life. And yet, he did not waste the time that God gave him. He used it for the glory of Christ. He had walked with Christ and knew what it meant to be forgiven and loved. He had received the gift of grace from the hand of Christ. He followed Christ's commandment to Love others, as well as believe in the Lord. It was here that I imagine Peter finally understood what it would mean for him, as he lived his life as Christ's disciple.

Waiting doesn't mean we do nothing. It means we seize the period of patience and seeking, longing and watching, and at the same time open our hearts to what God desires to do in and through us. It means that we trust Him and focus on Him rather than on what we expect from those around us. When the day comes and we stand before His throne, He will hold us responsible only for ourselves. At that point, it will be us and Him. The King above all Kings. The Alpha and the Omega. The Lord. The Passover Lamb. There will be no turning to others and asking about them, there will only be one. Me. And as I wait for that day, I can only prepare by following His command.. "You follow Me!"