Where Else?

The Tears of St. Peter (1607) by El Greco

I am completely taken by the character of Peter in the Gospels. One of the scenes that captures me more than any takes place in John 6 after Jesus has given a particularly hard teaching. Here is what transpires John 6:60, 66-68):

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”…

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Sometimes following Jesus is really hard.

Sometimes his teachings are really hard.

Sometimes they don’t make sense to us.

But, at least for me, I always come back to where Peter comes back:“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

So I follow Jesus for two reasons: (1) He is the only one worthy of worship; and (2) where else could I possibly go?

And when I remember those two things, life just makes more sense for me.

How about you?