on his terms

Opening Prayer: The call to follow you, Lord Jesus, is a holistic one.  We do not get to choose which areas we want to follow you in and which ones we don’t.  You demand all of our lives, not just certain compartments of them.  You demand that we live life on your terms, not our own.  Give us the courage to do just that.  Amen.

Scripture: John 21:18-19

Journal: Whose terms are you living your life on these days?  Why and how is that true?

Reflection: “I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.  Then he said to him, “Follow me!” (John 21:18-19)

We tend to live life on our terms, when life with Jesus is really about living life on his terms—a life of total and complete surrender, not merely using him to make ourselves bigger.   If we are truly following Jesus, we don’t get to determine the nature, content, or direction of our lives, that role belongs exclusively to him.  We can either follow him, or follow ourselves, but we can’t do both.

Pray

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, do not let us fool ourselves, when we live our lives on our own terms, we are not really following you at all.  Help us to fully heed your call to follow you, no matter where it may lead.  Amen.