Learning from John the Beloved

Apostle John was the youngest of the disciples of Jesus and initially believed to be a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1: 35) but when Baptizer pointed Jesus to him, he followed Jesus  (John 1:37).  He was not so dogmatic that he could not afford to change course when the need arose. Jesus once referred to him and his brother as the “sons of thunder” (Mark 1:37). and indeed they actually asked Jesus for permission to call down fire on perceived enemies but were sharply rebuked (Luke 9:54).
But over the years as he walked with Jesus, his character changed and the rough edges were smoothened and he became known as the   “Beloved disciple” referring to love more than any of the gospel writers and so there is hope for us. He indeed had a revelation of the pre-incarnate Jesus, love and eternal life (John 1:1-3)  and taught eventually that a life that claims to love God must love men (1 John 4:21).


At the foot of the cross, his devotion and love for Jesus were unshakable and Jesus committed his mother into his care(John 19:26-27). Even after the death of Jesus, in the midst of confusion when he and the other disciples were in a backslidden state and had returned to fishing one night, he was the first to recognize Jesus(John 21:7).

However, church history tells us he was banished to the island of Patmos during the persecutions under Emperor Domitian. This disciple who Jesus so loved must have prayed but it pleased God to send him to the island of Patmos (Rev1:9) and there away from Brethren, he still worships and receives instructions and revelations (Rev 1:10).

Have you prayed for a trial or a thorn or imprisonment and it seems that God is not answering? As God, it is his prerogative to answer as he chooses. He has the power to deliver and when he doesn’t do as we desire, he has greater plans to walk us through it (Isaiah 43:2). Beyond walking by faith, the writer of Hebrews mentions those that there were also some who walked through faith(Heb 11:35-39).

 During times of testing and hardship, it is not usually the power of God that is called to disrepute but his character. A  seed of doubt of his love left uprooted can grow quickly and turn our hearts cold but the Cross answers any questions of his love ( Romans 8:32).

Glory came out of the life of John although banished to an island Every circumstance of our lives can be used by God and made to profit us eventually (Rom 8:28) and it is ok not to fully understand (Isa 55;8-9). We may not all have such a dramatic hardship like some of these disciples but with our ordinary everyday challenges, God is seeking to make us more like Jesus and cooperating with him through his spirit is what we are called to do as children  (Romans 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18).


I trust you have been encouraged with this little piece
Grace