Would you like to depart from Me?
[A part of devotions series]
[Russian version of devotion you can get here]
Have you ever been involved in a very ambitious business? Today there are a huge number of startups that soar like the last Falcon from Ilon Mask, and after that, fall like stars in the night. Relationships in the team of such startups are quite interesting: no one wants to work in an unsuccessful project, everyone sees himself as a star in various publications, employees idolize their leader, wanting to get fame from his shine in the media. But now the line of fame, success, profits breaks off, workers begin to realize that the idea is not entirely advantageous, they start to stare at other startups and leave, leave, leaving their leader.
There is a similar story in the Gospel.
Many people followed Christ for various reasons: miracles, deliverance from the Roman Empire, food, healing, and His Messiahship. John in the sixth chapter shows us that many people followed Christ. However, when He began to preach in the synagogue, about His true mission, many were seduced. It seemed that the case in which they got involved was quite promising: they were given food, they wanted to participate in the liberation of Israel, pursuing their goals. But word by word, Jesus broke their armor. As a result of His teachings, many of the disciples moved away from Him.
After the disciples left Him, He asks a radical question to His close friends: do you also want to depart from Me?
Today this question sounds to each of us: do you want to move away from Me? Jesus does not ask him to those who left Him, but to those who remained with Him. Christ will never ask you this question to push you away, but to affirm your faith. Moreover, the foundation of our firmness is not in ourselves, but in Him. After all, He said: “Am I not chosen twelve?” Jesus is not the owner of a startup with a new idea, He is the real leader, asking such a question, He wants to instill confidence and stamina in you.
Many did not get to this question; they departed from Christ, tempted by His teachings. When they discovered that Jesus would not fulfill their desires, dreams, ambitions, they easily left Him. Such people never knew Him as the One who has the “verbs of eternal life.”
Ask yourself this question: “Do you also want to leave me?”
What will your answer be?
