Daily Devotion for Saturday 5th July 2025

St John 13: 36 – 38

Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.’  Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’  Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

Reflection

I often joke with my friend Jon that eventually we should decide what we’re going to do when we grow up.  (I’m 58, he’s 59 and we’ve been friends for around 35 years).  Between us we’ve had and have rich and varied careers. We both have a range of hobbies and interests and have full lives; of course we have both grown up but often think there’s another adventure awaiting us.  The last time we met we compared the first signs of our bodies not being as resilient as we imagine them to be (are we still middle aged in our late 50s?).  

We wonder where we’re going and, I suspect, like many of our generation we’re not really ready for retirement;  there are still adventures to be had, roads to be travelled, ideas to be explored, and new possibilities to be entertained (though with comfort and at a less robust pace than we might once have imagined!)  

Simon was ready for his next adventure with the Lord but Jesus knew it wasn’t yet his time – and knew that the last adventure would be hard.  Tradition has Peter executed in Rome for daring to be seen as subversive and anti-social.  In today’s passage Simon’s enthusiasm is met with Jesus’ realism.  Simon’s human frailty led to devastating regret and he had to watch the unfolding tragedy of Jesus’ execution and death unfold before him.  Maybe a younger Simon would have leapt in with wild energy; but he, like Jon and I, have less energy and enthusiasm than was once the case.  

So with a seasoned eye to our skills, histories, finances and interests Jon and I still wonder about what’s the next adventure; I pray it won’t involve denial, regret, or sadness for either of us but that, each in our own way the answer to “Lord, where are you going?” involves us each discerning how best to follow.

Prayer

Lord, where are you going?
Can I come with you?
Have you prepared me for the journey?
Have my skills and experience equipped me?
Can I see your footsteps and, in them, plant my own?
Is there another adventure waiting?
Lord, help me to follow.
Amen.