The Experience Of A Lifetime: Part 1

"And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves." - Matthew 17:1 [ESV]

Look at the list.  Look at it again.  Do you see it? It nailed me.  Three people accompanied Jesus on this life-changing night.  Two brothers, James and John - the sons of Thunder - were there.  And then there was Peter.  The thing is that Peter had a brother.  Andrew.  The other thing is that Andrew is the one who introduced Peter to Jesus.

"One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which means Christ).  He brought him to Jesus.  Jesus looked at him and said, 'So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas' (which means Peter)." - John 1:40-42 [ESV]

Did you notice that Andrew was not listed in the group of brothers? James and John were there, but Andrew was not invited.  And here's what hit me: Jesus does what he wants.  In my mind it seems only fair that Andrew should have been invited before anyone else because he was the first to follow Jesus and then invite Simon to meet him.  However, Jesus did not let Andrew come with him for this awe-inspiring and terrifying experience.  But why not? Answer: because Jesus didn't want him there.  If Jesus wanted him there, Andrew would have been there.

What does that mean for us? This: Jesus has a plan for each of us, but it's not based on what's fair but rather on what Jesus wants.  If all that we do is look at what Jesus is doing in and through others, we will miss what he is doing in and through us every single time.  God will use me in ways that he won't use others.  God will use others in ways that he doesn't use me.  My first desire should be Jesus, enjoying that relationship that I have with him.  After that, my desire should be his will, even if that means that I get left out of the experience of a lifetime.