Are you the disciple Jesus loves?

Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, Lord who is it? John 13:23-25 NKJV
 
The Lord keeps bringing me back to this portion of scripture.
 
In the past when I considered the Apostles I admired Peter the most. I could relate to his personality better than the other Apostles. These verses changed my mind. 
 
Peter is bold and brash. He is courageous and impulsive. Peter is naïve enough to step out in faith without really counting the cost. He has the desire to serve Jesus with all of his heart soul and strength. He is zealous for the Lord.
 
Our mission as Christians is to know Jesus Christ and make Him known to the world. Our calling is to grow in relationship with the Lord and help other people grow in their relationship with Jesus.                                      
 
John is known as the Apostle whom Jesus loved. Didn’t Jesus love all the Apostles? Why is John known as the Apostle whom Jesus loved?
 
At the last supper John is sitting next to Jesus. He leans on the Lord while Jesus is speaking. The other Apostle’s have a question for Jesus. They turn to John.
 
No one is uncomfortable or surprised that John is leaning on Jesus. John did things like lean on Jesus all the time. Was John Jesus’ favorite Apostle?
 
God is not a respecter of Persons. John is called the Apostle whom Jesus loved because he freely expressed his love for Jesus and Jesus’s love for him. 
 
Why was John able to express his love for Jesus so freely? John knew Jesus. Jesus’ love for John was not theology. It was reality.
 
John speaks of Christian love over twenty times in the New Testament. He wrote five of the books in the bible. Possibly the greatest revelation ever given to a man was given to John. John shared the love of Jesus with other people.
 
God loves you. That is not theology. It is reality. It was reality in John’s day. It is reality today. Jesus wants you to grow so close no one will be surprised when you lean on Him.
 
I like to think of myself as Jesus’ favorite disciple. It is not that I think Jesus loves me more than other people. He does not. It is not that I think I love Jesus more than others. I don’t. I call myself Jesus’ favorite disciple because I am in desperate need of His love!
 
There was a time when I was bold and brash. I thought I could do just about anything. I have learned that I can do nothing apart from Jesus. Have you? I am still learning to lean on Jesus for my every need. Are you?
 
#Joyfor2daydailydevotional
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