PrintOur Journey Through The Valley (79)
24 March, 2014
During our last breakfast together on the Friday morning, (prior to Bev's admission into High Care) we read about another breakfast recorded in John 21. During that meal, Jesus said to Peter "When you were young you were able to do as you liked: you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go."
If that isn't a description of the ageing process, I don't know what is!! The comparison between life for Peter now and life as it shall be is quite confronting. "...and take you where you don't want to go". For me, Peter is being told that old age involves being controlled by people who are stronger than he is. There is an overwhelming sense of vulnerability, of having no input or influence over decisions being made on your behalf. Your opinion is not worthy of investigation by those who are now in control.
Even though we had initiated the sequence of events that led to Bev's admission into High Care, things happened so quickly that our heads are still spinning. This is not a path that we would have chosen. We are being taken where we don't want to go. Yet it is the way of all humanity.
But just as Jesus was explaining this to Peter, the apostle saw John out of the corner of his eye. Peter was keen to know if he alone would walk the path to a God-glorifying death or would there be others; more particularly, would John also come to the same end. He was told by Jesus (if you will pardon my translation), "Peter, that's none of your business. You leave John to me. Your business is to follow me. Nothing has changed since I first said that to you 3 years ago.
Do you ever wonder why some people die peacefully in their sleep at the close of a long and fruitful life whereas others suffer in ways that are painful and heartbreaking?
I think that was Peter's question.
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