Daily Devotional – Monday, February 21, 2022
From that time, many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
John 6:66 (NKJV)
As Jesus moved through towns and villages, preaching and healing, He became very popular. The crowds He pulled would make our modern politician envious. Christ always had an entourage of followers in tow.
These disciples listened and marveled at how differently Jesus taught compared to the scribes and Pharisees. However, not everyone who followed Jesus had genuine motives. Many were not seeking for righteousness and salvation.
Many Followers; Different Motives
Some were idlers who had nothing else to do. Others were spies sent by religious leaders to collect information on anything controversial Jesus might teach. A sizeable number wanted to witness miracles and be the first to spread the news.
There were also disciples about whom Jesus said, “… you seek Me … because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” (John 6:26). In John 6, Jesus rebuked the earthly and material incentives of those who followed Him.
Many Went Back and Did Not Walk With Him
Following Christ’s rebuke and firm call for genuine belief among His disciples, “From that time, many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6:66). They realized that following Jesus was a higher calling than they initially thought.
Peter spoke on behalf of the twelve disciples who remained when he said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68-69).
Why Are We Following Jesus?
Why are we following Jesus? Is it because we want Him to perform medical and financial miracles for us? Are we Christians because Jesus provides our material needs? Would we still walk with Him if He withdrew or paused supplying our physical needs?
Today, review your reasons for following Jesus Christ. Listen again to Jesus telling you to, “…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).
Follow Jesus because of the unconditional love He demonstrated on Calvary to bestow eternal life on you.
Lord Jesus, always remind me that You loved me and died for me first and that my devotion to you should be a response to that love.
May the Lord empower us to love Him unconditionally and voluntarily follow Him; “But our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory—while we look not at the things which are seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” A SKETCH OF CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
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