There was an occasion during the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ when many of His disciples turned from Him (John 6:41-66). “Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (John 6:67-69 NKJV). Within Peter’s response is the rhetorical question that should resonate with every child of God, “To whom shall we go?”
To whom shall Christians turn in the face of every adversity and life challenge, today? To whom shall we go? Mankind in Jesus’ day commonly viewed everything from a physical and a literal perspective, and people were reluctant to make spiritual applications or to appeal to spiritual solutions to their problems and needs. Things haven’t changed much from then to now!
To whom shall Christians turn when they face personal health crises and their own mortality? Yes, we can and should avail ourselves of medical treatments to help deal with physical challenges. Yet, ultimately, our bodies wear out, and we arrive at the stage of life when the expression “patch, patch, patch” appears to be the order of the day every day. None of us will get out of this world alive—unless Jesus returns before we expire. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
To whom shall Christians turn when they experience mistreatment by their taskmasters? There may be physical resources to which one can appeal, but there is always a superior resource to which every Christian can resort. “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:22-24). To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
To whom shall Christians turn when they are buffeted by government? There may be legal recourses for which one can plea, but the child of God has divine, inspired instruction how to proceed (Romans 13:1-7). “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16). “But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard‘” (Acts 4:19-20; cf., Acts 5:29). To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
To whom shall Christians turn when unfair burdens are laid upon them? Will someone rescue them from oppression? Maybe. Nevertheless, the child of God is not left without divine instruction in these matters. “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:41). Jesus taught how to disarm oppressive intentions toward His disciples. To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
To whom shall Christians turn when they have hardship in this life (i.e., economically, family necessities, etc.)? Often, there are governmental and non-governmental benefactors who can offer some relief. Yet, the child of God has a Divine Benefactor to Whom he can always turn. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
To whom shall Christians turn when they personally know grief? Frequently, a dear one’s mere presence in silence is a more meaningful consolation than words anyone could say (Job 2:13). However, a superior Comforter awaits every child of God when those dire hours come. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
To whom shall Christians turn when…? An infinite number of similar illustrations could be drawn from examination of the Scriptures. They all conclude with the rhetorical questions, “To whom ought the child of God turn?” To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
Christians could act like the rest of humankind and rely exclusively on physical remedies for whatever encounters befall them during their transit upon Earth. Unfortunately, that is exactly what many children of God do! In addition to physical solutions to life’s challenges, though, only Christians can enjoy the providential intervention of God (Matthew 6:25-34) and His eternal promises (Matthew 19:29). To whom ought the child of God turn is obvious.
