Each of the disciples reacted differently to Jesus being arrested. Each one, in their own way, did not stick with their leader. I have wondered how I would have reacted, worried that I could have easily split and ran. Would I do that in 2025 if I were threatened? I hope not, resting my case on the presence of our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who gives us the grace we need in the test. I do not want to presume anything, but His presence in my life is worth more than anything
“Strength, good looks, connections, and the competitive instinct may bring a person success in a society like ours, but those very qualities may block entrance to the kingdom of heaven. Dependence, sorrow, repentance, a longing to change — these are the gates to God’s kingdom.” - Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew
“A disciple, knowing that resolve and self-reliance can only take us so far in living the ways of God, lives in glad dependence upon the Father.
A disciple seeks strength from the Spirit to do what he cannot do in his own strength.
A disciple embraces painful experiences, including failure, as a normal part of the human experience and as a necessary part of spiritual transformation—“salted with fire” (Mark 9:49).
A disciple, following the pattern of Jesus, lives in an intimate relationship with God, deeply trusting God’s love, goodness, and wisdom. Jesus expressed this intimate, love-based relationship by praying to God as “Abba, Father.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford
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