AN AUDIENCE OF ONE

Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is

that to you? You must follow Me." John 21:22

For several weeks I awoke with heaviness over me. It seemed it did not

matter how much I prayed or how much I read the Scriptures. Finally, one

night I was reading a book by Os Guinness that described the

conversation between Jesus and Peter. God had just commissioned Peter in

the famous "Peter, do you love Me" passage of Scripture. This was after

Jesus' resurrection. Jesus was calling Peter to feed His sheep, and He

informed Peter of the death he would encounter for following Him. But

Peter had a question. He wondered what was going to happen to John.

Would John have the same trials, the same responsibility, as Peter?

Jesus quickly retorted to Peter, "What is that to you?"

That night I realized I was guilty of envy. I had several friends who

were now "making it" in business. I began to compare where I was in

life. It brought me into a state of depression. Once I realized this, I

asked the Lord to forgive me. I knew in my head I was to have only one

audience-the audience of One. That knowledge needed to get to my heart.

I also knew I was experiencing spiritual warfare in the area of

unbelief.

The next morning I awoke, and as I normally do, I checked my e-mail to

see what the devotional was for that day that is sent to other workplace

believers. Although I write the devotional myself, I read it because I

get letters from readers regarding the devotionals. To my shock, the

devotional was on this same passage of Scripture. It talked about the

sin of envy. I was amused by God's sense of humor, as He convicted me

with my own devotional message. But that was not the end of it.

That day I went to lunch with a friend. After lunch I got into my car. I

turned on the radio and Os Guinness, the author of the same book I was

reading the night before, was being interviewed. They were talking about

the discourse between Jesus and Peter and the sin of envy! I was

floored! "Okay, God, I get the message!" The Holy Spirit has an uncanny

ability to communicate to us. The Lord wanted me to know that I am not

to worry about someone else. God has called us to a unique life that may

look totally different from anyone else's life. Once we begin to compare

ourselves to others, we begin to live for others and ourselves. There is

only one audience we should be living for-the audience of One. Ask the

Lord today if you are living solely for His pleasure.