Stay In Your Lane

When Peter saw (John), he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” – John 21:21-22

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“Please go unload the dishwasher,” I instruct my sweet son.
“But MOM! Why doesn’t she have to help?!” he instinctively refutes, pointing to his sister. 

Sigh. I love my kids.

Any parent has been there, maybe lives there like I do. My kids are constantly on the prowl to evaluate chore expectations, behavior and rewards of their siblings.

But even as adults, I’m not sure we’re much different. Why did God answer her prayer and not mine? Why do I have to give my husband this battle when my notes indicate he won the last one? Why do we live in a country of religious freedom, and others live under intense persecution? 

Discrepancies are everywhere we look. And as we find them, it can become natural for us to question God’s justice, or even question our own worth before God.

Is God fair if he answers that prayer but not mine? Does God love him more if he calls me to surrender another battle? Am I risking enough for my faith if I don’t evangelize within the underground church? 

Intellectually, I think we know the answer is the Gospel. God is both just and merciful, and we see that at the cross. Jesus is punished, we are pardoned. We see his deep affections for us in this valiant act. But let us not gloss over this too quickly. God doesn’t just satisfy his wrath of our sin on the cross, only leaving us debt-free. He also credits us with his righteousness. He makes us rich in relationship with himself, uniting himself to us, filling our souls with his very spirit.

This means that we never walk alone.

And maybe that is the deepest void we’re looking to cover. Maybe the impact of not having our prayers answered, perceiving injustice or striving to prove ourselves is that we fear God has abandoned us. That he’s not on our side. That we’re not worthy of His time or attention.

But this is the richness of relationship we’re saved into. We can bring it to Him.

We can tell God that we’re frustrated. We can tell him we don’t understand. We can tell him we’re worried, scared, or lonely. 

We can ask, what about him? (John 21:21). Peter had denied Jesus three times before his crucifixion. And in this passage, three times in his resurrected body, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Each time, Peter responds by saying, “Lord, you know that I love you,” (John 21:15-17).

But maybe the point Jesus was making wasn’t that he needed the reminder of Peter’s heart, but that Peter needed a reminder of Jesus’ heart. Forgiveness, not just for one betrayal but for all. And commissioning – Peter wasn’t left condemned, he was left with work. Value. Significance. 

So what would it matter what lay ahead for anyone else? Jesus saw Peter, he loved Peter, and he had a plan for Peter. 

This is also true for us. 

God has a purpose and plan for our lives. We are guaranteed that. God doesn’t make mistakes, doesn’t call us to anything in error, and is never removed from his throne. We can step back from comparison knowing God is just, and his redemptive work on the cross is complete. But practically, learning to trust God, learning to find refuge in him and learning to walk in his truth is going to be a process. A long, unnatural, forever process, where we are guaranteed to find unimagined beauty as we watch our Father work. 

Sometimes when I ask my son to unload the dishwasher, it’s because I’ve given his sister another job. Sometimes I’ve given her the same job and he doesn’t know it. Sometimes I simply need help and he’s the first unlucky duck I find. It’s life. But while they don’t always get the backstory, I’m trying to teach them to stay in their lanes. To do what they are called to, to give their best, and to know – they are an important part of our family, and their participation matters because they matter.

Which means, my greatest opportunity for them and myself is to point us to our Heavenly Father. His care, wisdom and justice are beyond any earthly relationship. And when he invites, “follow me,” he’s guaranteed to lead in perfect direction and never leave our side.

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It is impossible for (you) to ever wander outside the light of his presence. He never forgets you, he never turns his back on you, he never wanders away for a moment, he never favors someone else over you, he never gets mad and refuses to be with you, he never grows cynical, he will never give up, and he will never ever quit. He is tenderly, patiently, faithfully, and eternally with you. – Parenting, Paul David Tripp

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Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:6

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20