Two Questions for the Year Ahead

"But what about you?"  Jesus asked.  Who do you say I am?"  (Mark 8:28)

"Simon son of John, do you truly love Me?...Feed my sheep"

 (John 21)

Jesus asked many questions of His followers when He walked with them; it was the way a Rabbi typically taught his students.  Questions engaged the disciple in the learning process as he would have to think his answer through before responding.

Jesus asked these two questions of Peter but in reality they are questions for all of His followers.  I am reminded that when Jesus asked the first question, Peter was able to respond immediately with:  "You are the Christ!"

The second question took Peter a bit longer to ponder and answer.  In fact, Jesus had to ask it three times of him.  Even though Peter recognized that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, he understood his own shortcomings and failures in his relationship with Him.

As I look back on this year coming to a close I realize that I, like Peter, have come up short and failed many times in my relationship with our Lord.  But He is a gracious God and bids me start afresh once again just as He did for Peter.

I think that is one of the things we love about celebrating a New Year; it signifies a fresh start.  What a blessing that we don't have to wait for a New Year to dawn to start again with Jesus!  It is day by day and even moment by moment with Him.

As you go into the New Year, consider that Jesus asks these two questions of each of us also.  And remember that we love because He first loved us!

Happy New Year

Jeannie