City Life Starter

Written by Paul Lane

The Word

⁶⁸ But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

John 6:68-69

Reflection

There is a story of a lady who was offered the granting of wishes.  She makes a terrible mistake when she asks for eternal life but neglects to also ask for eternal youth.  So, she lives forever, getting older and older, and suffering for it.

There is another story, this time of a man.  He saves all his life to take a trip on a cruise ship.  Finally, he has the money for this great trip, but just the price of the ticket.  So, he packs some food for the trip and spends most of his time on the ship in his cabin.  His food runs out only a few days into the trip.  He attends no event, and he refuses to take tours when the ship is in port.  Finally, on the last day of the voyage he asks the porter if he could please have an apple from the food tray and offers to pay for it with the little money he has left.  Imagine the joy and regret he suffers when the porter informs him that all the meals are included in the price of the ticket, that all of the shipboard events were free, and the tours at the ports were also part of the price of the ticket.

I would submit to you that Peter’s recognition of Jesus as the source of eternal life is a safeguard against both of these errors.  You see, we don’t have to be smart enough to ask for the exact right thing to live the life God intends for us.  God has the plan figured out for you.  But we do have to sell out and embrace the whole of God’s kingdom.  One could say that this is the pearl of great life.  God has made provision for everything, but you must embrace it to benefit from it.

Finally, today my daughter told me about a news story on the manatees in Florida.  You know, the mermaids.  Apparently, they are starving.  The pollution on the surface of the water is preventing the growth of seagrass, which is their primary food source.  You could see that pollution as if it were a shade over your heart, blocking the words of life that Jesus wishes to bring to you.  Unless God’s word is allowed to get into your heart, nothing will grow, and you will starve.

Application

Lessons to be learned here:

1. If someone offers to grant a wish, start by wishing for more wishes.  (no brainer)
2. If you take a cruise, be sure to read the whole broacher.  Know what you are buying.

Questions:

1. Ask yourself, what really feeds your spirit?  You can make a list if it helps you.  It doesn’t have to be complete, but it should be a few things that you can think of for a bit.  If you are honest with yourself, I think you find that things like a meal with friends or helping someone stand out.  But also, quiet times when you are meditating on something profound do as well.
2. Ask yourself, what really pulls my spirit down?  Some of the obvious things would be things like receiving a harsh word or realizing that you have been excluded from something.  Would spending useless hours on the internet fall into this list?
3. Finally, ask yourself if Peter is right.  Are the words Jesus offers eternal life to you?  Do they cause your spirit to grow?

Prayer

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your path straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Lord, I trust You.  Please teach me how to trust You more.  Amen.