THE PRISONERS OF THE LORD"When you are older, you will stretch out your arms and Someone Else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go" (John 21:18ff).One characteristic of young disciples is their ability to dress and lead themselves. They find it very easy to go out and to come in. They are zealous and full of good works. If they see a need, they move at once to fill it. If they want to go somewhere, they simply go. If they want to say something, they simply say it. If they want to do something, they simply do it. They are full of plans and pursuits. We are not suggesting that this is necessarily wrong, but we are suggesting that this is only the beginning stage of spiritual growth. The real question is not what need do I want to fill, or where do I want to go, or what do I want to say, or what do I want to do. The question is: what glorifies the Lord? Whenever "I" do something I consider spiritual and good, it is, nevertheless, "me" who does it. Often we do what glorifies us - the Lord and His Need are seldom considered. But when we ask what glorifies the Lord, we see (in this passage at least) that the Lord is glorified when He is able to dress us and lead us where HE wants us to go - with no interference from Self.
