Daily Devotionals

Kefa followed him at a distance (Matthew 26:58).

Following at a distance is a good way to become lost, as anyone who has tried to follow a friend's car through city traffic can tell you.

The prophet Elisha was not one to follow at a distance. When his master Eliyahu (Elijah) was about to depart from this world, he stayed close beside him. Three times the older prophet urged Elisha to stay back, but he refused, and followed his master beyond the Yarden (Jordan) River. There he saw Eliyahu taken up by a whirlwind into heaven. Because of his persistence, Elisha received a double portion of Eliyahu's spirit and crossed back over the Yarden with great power (2 Kings 2).

Kefa's (Peter's) master also departed from this world, but in a far less glorious way. Kefa wanted to remain a disciple, but after Yeshua was arrested and led away to the Cohen HaGadol (High Priest), it seemed wise to keep some distance from Yeshua. Following at a distance is a good way to become lost; Kefa soon found himself denying that he even knew Yeshua.

Like Kefa, we follow at a distance when we avoid identifying too openly with Yeshua, when we consider it too costly or risky to be his disciple. To reach our spiritual destination without becoming lost, we must stay close beside him.

...follow Yeshua closely by openly declaring my loyalty to him, even at the risk of mockery or rejection.

RR