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.”

Devotion based on John 6:66-68

During the Revolutionary War, Ethan Allen made a name for himself as a capable colonel and the leader of the Green Mountain Boys. He was also widely known as a religious skeptic who had no use for the Christian faith. Allen’s wife, on the other hand, was a devout believer and taught their daughter about Jesus as the one who loves and saves sinners. It happened that the daughter fell seriously ill, and her father was summoned to her bedside. As the girl was nearing death, she took his hand and asked, “Father, should I believe what you have taught me or what I have learned from my mother?” The long moment of silence after her question must have felt like an eternity. Her father finally found his voice to say, “My child, believe what your mother has taught you.”

In the twists and turns of life, we can fool ourselves into thinking that there are any number of paths we can take and that any road will do. But when we are finally forced to face our end, with the prospect of where we will spend eternity, our viable options begin to dwindle very quickly. How will we stand before the Almighty on the great day of judgment? How can we hope to enter paradise when we have angered our Maker with our selfish deeds and self-centered lifestyles?

When we are faced with the reality that we, too, will one day die, we cannot ignore the question: “Where will you go? Whom will you follow?” May we, like Peter, answer, “I believe that Jesus has the words of eternal life. I believe that Jesus is eternal life.” His death for sinners has paid our debt. His rising from the grave assures us of God’s love. His word promises us forgiveness. Who else can give us these blessings but the eternal Son of God?

Prayer: