Brothers? - July 10,2010

Good Saturday morning! It seems cool out there, but the humidity combined with a dew point near the ambient temperature makes for a sweaty kind of morning. However, the East Coast has had it much worse and so we thank God for the morning we have! What do we often forget though? We should thank God for the new day no matter what kind of morning we think it is or if it is better or worse than some other place. I always want to check the weather first and then thank God for the new day; I have that completely backward of course.

Today, we read the confirmation of the identity of one of John's disciples and run into an old friend from scripture.

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. (John 1:40)

Simon Peter is the fellow we have heard about since childhood in the Bible verses. We have heard much about this man, Peter. Andrew, not so much, but he does come up more often than some of the other disciples. We are introduced here to one set of brothers from Jesus' twelve original disciples. What are the odds of having a set of brothers in the original twelve disciples? That isn't the right question of course. Jesus chose the disciples; they were not drawn in some Galilean lottery. Jesus could have chosen a family of twelve brothers to start as his first disciples.

You have been chosen as well. If you have given your life to Christ by believing in Him, then you were chosen long before you were born. I can't explain that, but praise God that he chose you and me! Simon Peter and Andrew would not have known why they were chosen, nor did any of the other disciples. Somewhere inside of you and me are the bright, shining people that God wants to save. We struggle with the sin nature from Adam, but one day God will bring us home. All of this begins with our choosing by God, and our choice to believe in Jesus Christ.

Have a wonderful weekend in Christ!

Bucky