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THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER VOLUME 9, NUMBER 25, JUNE 21, 2009 “WHERE COULD I GO BUT TO THE LORD?” John 6 is one of my favorite chapters in all of the New Testament. It contains one of the most beautiful of all of the recorded sermons of Jesus. In it, He teaches the need to totally engulf oneself in Him. In verses 51-58 we find, “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh. The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? Jesus therefore said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.” The reaction to the words of Jesus was not favorable by the vast majority who heard Him speak that day, in spite of the fact that many of them had been miraculously fed the previous day by the Lord. Verse 66 tells us, “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore.” One can feel the emotion of Jesus as He said to the apostles, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Verses 68-69 tell us, “Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” When the difficulties and struggles of life confront us, when we hear things that we just don’t want to hear, when the doctors tell us the very thing that we have so desperately desired they would not say; where else can we go but to the Lord? I have spent my entire adult life seeking to comfort more people than I can begin to remember in times of trouble for them. I can also say that many others have reached out their hands to me in trials and in sickness. The welcoming embrace of glorious brethren has carried Vicky and me through a number of heart-breaking circumstances. However, when all is said and done, where can we go but to the Lord? I am reminded of James 1:17. James wrote, “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.” So, when dark and difficult times come, when ominous storm clouds seem to be gathering on the horizon, always remember that the Lord is there. James 4:8 begins with the words, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” David expressed so well the very sentiments I am feeling as I write this and that I am trying to get across in the beautiful 62nd Psalm. He wrote: My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken. Skip on down to verse 5. My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Move on down to verse 10. Do not trust in oppression, And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God; And lovingkindness is Thine, O Lord, For Thou dost recompense a man according to his work.
These are not just words written on a piece of paper! They are real and just a small sample of so many similar statements to be found throughout God’s Word. Where can we go but to the Lord? “For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever.” (Eph. 3:14-21). I don’t know what the future holds, but I know the Lord will hold my hand all the way through it.
Greg Litmer |