To whom shall we go?

When you hear those words that change your life, you have a decision to make. “The MRI did not reveal that you had a stroke, but let me tell you what I did find. You have a tumor in your brain and it is 5 centimeters, so it has been there for awhile. We have been in contact with the neurologist on call, and he will be in to make a decision about treatment, which may include surgery.”

I will never forget the look of shock on Linda’s face. I have no idea how my face looked at that moment – probably it registered equal shock! If I recall correctly, I was pretty much speechless. We both cried as we held each other. When the first nurse came in, Linda asked her what her name was (I cannot remember, now). Linda called her name and said, “This is not a mistake. This did not catch God by surprise.” I heard those same words, spoken through tear-filled chokes and sobs, time and again that night. One nurse said, “Amen, it is not the end of the story until God gets the glory!”

Don’t you want that to be true of your life? Don’t you want God to get the glory in your life, whether it is through glorious spiritual victories or through gut-wrenching trials? Well, it was decision time for us. In reality, that decision was made long ago. It is just like my good friend Mike Calhoun with Word of Life used to tell teenagers, “You need to make a decision about a decision before you are called upon to make that decision. If your friend wants you to go to a party and get drunk and you have to make that decision at that moment, you are in big trouble. You better make your mind up before the temptation is ever put before you.” Amen, brother Mike!

Our decision about a response to cancer had been made long before the wee hours of February 3, 2007. I don’t think either of us asked “Why?” I have repeatedly heard Linda say, in the spirit of Job, “Shall I accept good from the Lord’s hands and not this tumor?” The tumor is there, of course, whether we accept it or not. We do not, however, have to accept it as from the Lord’s hand. We can become bitter, act only out of desperation, curse the day we were born – or we can submit to God.

In the early part of John 6, we read the account of Jesus feeding 5,000 men, plus women and children, with five loaves of bread and two small fish. It is understandable that the people wanted Jesus to be their king! They wanted, in fact, someone who would meet all their physical needs. When Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee, the people got into their boats and followed Him to Capernaum. Jesus knew what they wanted and began to weed out the followers who only wanted good things from His hand.

Jesus’ words in John 6 are some of the most difficult in the New Testament. Directing the people to their need of a spiritual relationship with Him, Jesus used a material illustration to make a spiritual point, as He so often did. Beginning in verse 48, Jesus proclaimed that He was the bread of heaven. He likened Himself to the manna that the Children of Israel ate in the wilderness. He said that His own flesh was the bread that God had sent from heaven. As you can imagine, that caused quite a stir! Imagine the crowd’s restlessness when Jesus said in verse 53, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” WOW! What would you have done if you had been in the crowd following Jesus that day? It is fairly easy for us to understand in the larger context of Scripture that Jesus was making a spiritual point and absolutely did not intend for His followers to turn into cannibals! But it was a difficult lesson. We are told that many of those who had been following Jesus turned away – the saying was too hard for them.

Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “Will you go away, also?” Peter answered for so many through the ages – and he answered for us on February 3, when he said, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Much of what Jesus said to His followers did not make sense to them at the time He made His statements. Later, it all came into focus for them, and it is in focus for us. Much of what happens to us does not make sense at the time, does it? When life gives you something that you absolutely do not expect, something that would cause many to question the wisdom and love of God, we can turn inward, or we can turn to Jesus and say, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” That’s what Linda has said. That’s the decision I have made. Let me say as I have said before, we have made this decision only because God has enabled us. Oh, thank You, Lord Jesus!

I must confess that while God has given us great strength is this biggest trial of our lives, I (speaking for myself, not Linda) have not done so well in much lesser trials. How many times have I refused to deny God, but also refused to submit to Him and allow Him to help me through my difficulties? In essence, I denied Him, didn’t I? When we walk away from God’s Word, we walk away from Jesus. That is a strong statement, and you could certainly make a case for it not being entirely true, but if you think about it, I think you will understand what I am trying to say. In some ways, it is easier to submit in the things over which you have little or no control that it is to trust Jesus when some action on your part may bring about change or results more favorable to your liking. Am I making sense? I know that some will understand!

So, what is your big issue at the moment? Will you submit to Jesus, or say, “This is too hard for me,” and in essence, walk away? Far better, don’t you think, to say, “Lord, this is a hard saying – this is a hard assignment, but I have no choice. To whom shall I go? You have the words of life!”