Quo Vadis.. the name of a small chapel outside of Rome.
Tradition has it that at this place St. Peter encountered the Lord Jesus once again, towards the end of his life. The great apostle was trying to avoid capture by the people persecuting Christianity when Jesus appeared to him. Dumbfounded, St. Peter uttered this question...
"Quo vadis Domine?"
"Where are you going, Lord?"
Then came the reply... "I am going to Rome to be crucified."
At that moment, Peter knew the time had come for him to give up his life for the sake of the Name. He surrendered himself to the authorities in Rome who had him put to death on the cross. This once cowardly fisherman boldly requested to be crucified upside down... "For I am not worthy to be crucified in the same manner as my Lord."
As my brother Daniel from Zion's Joy shared this story inside the adoration room of the Church of St. Bernadette, I felt a touch of the Spirit in my heart. We, along with the leaders of SACCRE Youth, were gathered there for a time of discernment for the next part of the year.
Yet all I could feel were the words of St. Peter echoing in my heart...
"Quo vadis Domine?"
"Where are you going, Lord?"
I felt the Lord inviting me to ask that question, to ask Him where He is going in my life.
For an Apostle is really someone who lives his life following the footsteps of the Lord Jesus.
It was an invitation to surrender... something not that easy to do, and something I'm still learning to do. It was a call to obedience... no matter what the cost.
"Where are you going, Lord?"
I felt the Lord inviting me to ask that question, to ask Him where He is going in my life.
For an Apostle is really someone who lives his life following the footsteps of the Lord Jesus.
It was an invitation to surrender... something not that easy to do, and something I'm still learning to do. It was a call to obedience... no matter what the cost.
"Quo vadis Domine?"
I felt tears in my eyes, as I come to the full realisation of those words...
"Where are you going, Lord?"
Tell me where you are going in my life, so I can follow you even if it means going somewhere I'd rather not go. Kinda frightening thought... But I'm in too deep, my life is no longer my own, and there's no turning back.
From my heart, I cried out...
"Lord, I surrender."
I knew it was a decision I'd probably have to make over and over again in my life, but at that moment I put all fear aside and said those words in my heart.
For an instant I felt the weight of the cross... But as soon as I felt it, two strong hands lifted that weight and shouldered my cross with me. Jesus will be with me, every step of the way.
There's something great in store for me, something that would require me to give more of myself. I do not comprehend, but then again, in the business of Kingdom building, obedience comes before understanding =)
The journey of discipleship is long and tiring, but it is worth every mile...
With my Lord at my side.
"Where are you going, Lord?"
Tell me where you are going in my life, so I can follow you even if it means going somewhere I'd rather not go. Kinda frightening thought... But I'm in too deep, my life is no longer my own, and there's no turning back.
From my heart, I cried out...
"Lord, I surrender."
I knew it was a decision I'd probably have to make over and over again in my life, but at that moment I put all fear aside and said those words in my heart.
For an instant I felt the weight of the cross... But as soon as I felt it, two strong hands lifted that weight and shouldered my cross with me. Jesus will be with me, every step of the way.
There's something great in store for me, something that would require me to give more of myself. I do not comprehend, but then again, in the business of Kingdom building, obedience comes before understanding =)
The journey of discipleship is long and tiring, but it is worth every mile...
With my Lord at my side.
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