Will You Leave Me Also & The Wife's Note: The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength

Will You Leave Me Also & The Wife’s Note: The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength

“Will You Leave Me Also” was originally written April 13, 2010. I pray that you enjoy this challenge of faith in seeing the tender words of our Savior. Let Him speak to you.

Will You Leave Me Also

A few weeks back, I had went to the wal-mart with my family. After walking around for a short time, I realized there was nothing I needed, so I decided to go grab a bible and set in the lawn and gardening until my family finished. I sat there reading the bible as the Spring shoppers rushed by and the following verses is where I found myself reading.

John 6:66-67, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?”

As I read the previous verses that led to this passage portrait of a multitude of Christ’s followers leaving Him, and Him asking His twelve disciples this heart wrenching question, I found that the reason all these followers had turned their backs and walked away, was simply because He set the standard too high. Why did He do such a thing I wondered, but then later I realized, He was testing them. He wanted to know who was just religious, and who was truly spiritual. Those that was merely religious would not dare even entertain a thought of trying to jump a hurtle that would put their cozy life in jeopardy of collapse. But the spiritual would realize this Christ is the only answer to life, and outside of Him there is no life. The spiritual would say, “it is too high for me, but with God all things are possible. I cant …but He can.”

I had heard this passage paraphrased many times before, but I had never read it before. I felt a sweet presence come over me as I read. And at the time of beginning this writing, as I looked over some notes I had jotted down that day there in wal-mart, I felt the same sweet presence of Christ come over me again. It seemed as if I could almost hear Christ speaking these very words once more, but not to the twelve disciples, but directly to me. It is almost as if I could feel His rays of love, as beams of sunlight penetrating my humble soul, as He said, “Buddy, my beloved, I have set the standard too high for you to reach. You see all your friends around you turning their back on me? They haven’t learned to love me yet. They have decided this way is too hard, and that they cant risk their life plans to reach the place I’d have them be. So many around you are walking away, simply satisfied with being religious, and yes it breaks my heart, but I have only one question… will you leave me also?”

Beloved, can you hear Christ asking you this question? Asking you if you will turn away with the religious crowd also, or if you will trust Him and keep on walking with Him? Can you hear Him so tenderly ask your soul, “Will you leave me also?”



The Wife’s Note: The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength

I often wonder how I let my attitude get the best of me sometimes. When things get hectic or I have not been praying like I should my attitude can go from bad to worse in a matter of seconds. I don’t get physically mad it is just something in me may get aggravated quickly even if I don‘t mention it to anyone. When deep down inside of myself I know I am supposed to be SLOW to anger not quick to anger. I feel deep down that this comes when I lack that special prayer time with my Lord and Savior. I have to remind myself that I may not be happy at that point and time, but the joy of the Lord is my strength. See friend there is a difference between happiness and joy. Joy… well that my friend only comes from the Lord. Joy looks past circumstance or situation and sees that everything is going to be just fine. It may not be so pretty at the moment and I may not like it, but the Joy of the Lord is my strength. Happiness on the other hand all depends on what is “happening” at that point and time hence the word happiness. Happiness is based on your physical surrounding where as Joy looks beyond and sees Christ. I may get frustrated sometimes, but I have to remind myself that the Lord, he is my joy. Friend, it is time to stop being simply happy and live in the joy that we have as Christians. Be Joyful!