25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
When you were a child, did you sing along to “Jesus loves me, this I know” or “Jesus loves the little children” or “I have decided to follow Jesus?” Do you remember your joy? Do you have the same fervor now?
As we grow we allow the doubts of the world to enter into our minds and hearts. We might question what we were taught – which is natural – but we then have choices to make. We can allow the doubts and questions to fester, or we can investigate further, read the Bible, ask those who might be able to answer our questions and thereby strengthen our faith instead of letting it go. John tells us that we need to hang on to the words of Jesus. We need to hang on to our belief in him. In John’s Gospel, Jesus asks the apostles if they will abandon him as some of his listeners had. Peter answers for them all, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life?” To whom can we go?
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus can show us the way to live lives based on the law of love. Only Jesus can lead the way to the father. If we begin to stray, all we need to do is go back to the beginning and remember that Jesus does love us; that he loves all of God’s children; and that we can always renew our commitment to follow him.
Lord, please renew in us our commitment to following you with the fervor we had at the beginning of our faith journey. Amen.
