“Jesus then said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to leave?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.’” (John 6:67-68)

The Gospel of John reports that at one point many of Jesus’ followers started to grumble about some of his teachings and stopped following him.  Jesus asked the twelve whether they wanted leave him also.  Peter answered with the above statement. 

With our fractious society today and its many competing agendas, where do we go for truth, moral guidance, and peace?  We have Covid related mandates vs. constitutional freedoms, the right to life vs. abortion, and concerns for the environment vs. the economy. We have the challenge of managing illegal immigration with compassion; public schools being closed during the past year, and a media that is not always objective, to name just a few examples. 

Many are looking for meaning and purpose, but the world tosses us to and fro like a small boat in a stormy sea.  Everyone seeks peace, but few find it without God becoming a priority in their lives.

In our early 40’s while our children were still young, my wife and I faced a decision as to how we wanted to live our lives as a married couple and family.  We each had experienced a spiritual renewal with the aid of the Holy Spirit, but how were we going to live as a family?

We believed that God was calling us to put him at the center of our marriage and family.  We thought of the words of Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.” Looking back after many years, I would attribute a number of blessings to this decision:

• Two more children added to our existing three daughters, including a son, and a daughter with special needs; the daughter has taught us so much about God’s love and ways;
• Career choices attempting to follow God’s will that allowed for more time with family and him while still providing for us;
• Four married children who are now raising Christian families themselves;
• Thirteen grandchildren to love and pray for;
• Involvement in Christian ministry.

Of course, we have made mistakes and there have been our share of challenges along the way, but God has remained absolutely faithful in his care and provision for us. 

To whom do you go for answers to the questions of life?