Our Daily Bread Devotional January 11, 2024 Thursday ODB Message
Read Our Daily Bread Devotional January 11, 2024 ODB Message written by Matt Lucas and Today’s Insight By K. T. Sim
Topic: A Simple Request
Bible in a Year: Genesis 27–28; Matthew 8:18–34
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” John 21:22
Today’s Scripture
John 21:17–24
Today’s Insight
After His resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days before ascending into heaven. During this time, He “proved to [his disciples] in many ways that he was actually alive” (Acts 1:3 nlt). The New Testament records some eleven post-resurrection appearances of Christ. The risen Jesus met with different people for different reasons. He had unfinished business with all His disciples. The Passover weekend was a traumatic one for them, and every disciple had “deserted him” (Matthew 26:56). In fact, Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times (John 18:15-27), but Christ restored him (21:15-19). His disciples needed to be forgiven, restored, reinstated, and recommissioned to do God’s work.
Our Daily Bread Devotional January 11, 2024 MESSAGE
“Please clean the front room before you go to bed,” I said to one of my daughters. Instantly came the reply, “Why doesn’t she have to do it?”
Such mild resistance was frequent in our home when our girls were young. My response was always the same: “Don’t worry about your sisters; I asked you.”
In John 21, we see this human tendency illustrated among the disciples. Jesus had just restored Peter after he’d denied Him three times (see John 18:15–18, 25–27). Now Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!” (21:19)—a simple but painful command. Jesus explained that Peter would follow Him to the death (vv. 18–19).
Peter barely had time to comprehend Jesus’ words before he asked about the disciple behind them: “What about him?” (v. 21). Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” Then He said, “You must follow me” (v. 22).
How often we’re like Peter! We wonder about the faith journeys of others and not what God is doing with us. Late in his life, when the death Jesus foretold in John 21 was much closer, Peter elaborated on Christ’s simple command: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:14–15). That’s enough to keep each of us focused on Jesus and not on those around us.
Reflect & Pray
How are you tempted to compare your faith walk with others? How will you keep your focus on Jesus today?
Heavenly Father, please continue to conform me into the image of Your Son.
Our Daily Bread 11 January 2024 Thursday ODB Message. Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.
READ MORE TOPICS: OPEN HEAVENS, OUR DAILY BREAD, IN TOUCH, SEEDS OF DESTINY, STREAMS OF JOY, JOEL OSTEEN, MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE, DCLM DAILY MANNA, UCB WORD FOR TODAY