“As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven—not as your fathers who ate the manna and are dead. He who eats this Bread will live forever. These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying: who can understand it?’…From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” John 6:57, 66. They went away.
“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”…
“You know the commandments.”…. And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all of these things I have kept from my youth up.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go your way, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven and come, take up the cross and follow Me. But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful for he had great possessions.” Mark 10: 17…20-22. True, he went away sorrowful, but he went away.
Little children loved Him, and He said, “Except you become as one of these, you cannot be my disciples.” Matt. 18:3 But they weren’t listening, and they went away.
“Then He will say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me…Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. Matt. 25:41-43…45-46” They passed the Savior by, and went away.
Jesus was betrayed and deserted by His disciples before, during and after the crucifixion. They, who had walked with Him, seen His miracles, listened to His words and promises deserted Him except for a few women like Mary Magdalene who stood afar, but they did not go away. And they were there early on Resurrection Morning. And Scripture remembers that although most deserted, these women did not. They did not go away.
This is an humble prayer for all those who knew Jesus once, but for some reason or no reason, went away. He waits with open arms and a loving heart. Please come home before it is everlastingly too late. He is not willing that any perish but that all should come to repentance. Matt. 28:30
“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: it might have been.” John Greenleaf Whittier.”
May God bless those who read and obey the words of our Lord.
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