I have been reading through the gospels of Mathew, Mark Luke and John and one thing has struck me as peculiar. It would appear from all accounts that Jesus favoured or seemed to prefer' Peter, James and John. Yet isn't it true that Jesus loves all of us equally? How come He used to have special times with the three? To understand this I had to study about them and their walk with Jesus.
According to Luke the three were business partners in the fishing industry. Mark seems to suggest that Simon Peter and His brother Andrew Zebedee, John and James father. All the same we see that the three had been pre-destined to be together, they were also committed men. Luke 5:10:11 records that when Jesus called them they forsook all and followed Him. Mark 1: 20 records that they left Zebedee high and dry.
James and John got to love Jesus so much that at one time they had a serious discussion about their future with Jesus. My over active imagination tells me the discussion went like this;
James: Brother (or bro as some younger guys would say) how do you find Jesus?
John: He is the greatest man I have ever met; I love Him with all of my heart
James: I love Him but I am worried about something.
John: What could you possibly be worried about?
James : Well, it's just that I don't know what will happen when Jesus reigns in His Kingdom. You see down here we are close to Him. Wouldn't it nice if we were to sit as close to Him in His kingdom?
Well, the discussion went on but as they didn't know what to do they shared their worries with their mother
Their mother; Mary was not a stranger to Jesus as the Word tells us that she was among the women who ministered to Jesus with their substance. (Luke 8:3, matt 27: 55 & 56). She accompanied her sons and made their request to Jesus. Matt 20: 20.23.
We see Peter through the gospels declaring his love for Jesus. Sometimes he would make mistakes and be rebuked (matt 16: 21 .23) but no man was ever faithful and for Jesus. When he saw Jesus walk on water he also did it matt 14: 26 . 32. Because of His love for Jesus the Holy Spirit revealed unto him about Jesus being the Christ Matt 16: 16 & 17. When Jesus was resurrected He sent a message to the disciples but singled out Peter Mark 16: 7
We see the three disciples with Jesus at the transfiguration matt 17: 1 . 8. He trusted them enough to take them with Him at Gethsemane when He was deeply sorrowful Matt 36:36. At His resurrection we see Peter and John running to the empty tomb. Jn 20: 2.10.
Looking at the three disciples I realized one thing. They had totally surrendered their lives to Jesus. To them there was no going back, no half measures; it was either all the way or no way at all. It was this surrender; this total giving of their lives that Jesus responded to. He would have responded the same way to Bartholomew, Andrew who was Peter's brother or Mathew if they had un-reservedly given themselves to Him.
How about you and me? How far are willing to go? Are we doing a half measured service? Are we willing to forsake all and go all the way? Do we care about men and whether we might look foolish in their eyes? Remember the words of Jesus 'no man having put his hand on the plough, looking back is fit for the kingdom'.
The brethren who had come to see me stood rooted to the spot. They could neither believe nor understand what they were seeing. Something was not right; this could not be really happening and yet it was. They could neither talk nor move, for this was beyond their understanding.
There I was sitting on the floor of the living room scratching my hands and feet and other parts of my body furiously. The itching was so severe that my daughters and nephew had picked up stones from outside to help me scratch myself. One took a hand, a leg and one would be giving me water to drink. The medicines I was taking could not help.
The brethren had heard that I was sick but nothing had prepared them for such a sight. What was even worse was that I was new to the church and I seemed to be having problems after problems.
First it was our land which was to be sold in a week's time, then the landlord who owned the place where I had my shop served me with notice and now a strange sickness had come to me. I had shared my problems with the brethren and we had really prayed about them but by now they must have wondered whether I should not really be confessing my sins or whatever I had done to cause the protection of God to depart from me.
My thoughts were proved right when one sister said 'how are you? what would you like us pray about?'. I could understand her predicaments as I seemed to have too many issues to pray about.
I thank God however for those saints for despite everything they did not leave me but stayed with me all day and though my condition did not seem to improve they stood by me in faith.
The afflictions of the righteous man are many but the lord delivers him from them all. I had despaired of life. I thought it was better to die than go through all these problems but God glorifies himself even in our afflictions.
That night I was rushed to hospital as I developed breathing problems but within one hour I was right as rain. God provided money to pay for our land loan and provide a different and better paying business than the shop I had. All in matter of weeks.
God delivered me from my afflictions
- Back To Top -Next >>
