February 18, 2026

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon.”

(Luke 4.38a)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

In my Jesus story, Peter and his brother Andrew (perhaps even James and John) were already friends with Jesus. Joseph, Jesus’ stepfather, had a shop in Capernaum as well as in Nazareth. He knew he couldn’t support his family in the small community of Nazareth, so he worked in Capernaum by the sea. Bethsaida was not far away from there; about six miles. Between the two cities was the Jordan River which emptied out into the Sea of Galilee. It was the perfect place for launching boats, fishing, swimming, gathering with friends or playing and growing up with friends. I can certainly see Jesus as a boy playing along the river delta while His father practiced his trade with the local fishermen for boats, masts, oars, rudders, storage houses and such. There are stories from extant sources which speak of Jesus’ childhood in Nazareth and in Capernaum. It is not beyond the realm of possibility for them to be friends and for Jesus to be known in Peter’s house and by Peter’s family. I mention this in reference to Luke’s gospel because we here of Jesus going to Peter’s house before He ever called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be disciples. This speaks to the call of relational strengthening. Those four fishermen knew Jesus. They would have gone to synagogue together. They would have shared stories and adventures together. They would have experienced life together in its successes and failures. They would have talked about their dreams for the future and making the world a better place. Growing up, such talk may have seemed fanciful and distant to “the four.” What would it have been like for Jesus as He was coming of age along with His friends? Would He have hinted of “days to come” according to the prophets? His cousin John might have been a part of some of those conversations as well on visits with his parents to see Mary and Jesus. They would have known of the prophecy of the Messiah and the extraordinary circumstances that would be revealed. I cannot imagine the tension of not telling “the four,” but with some hinting. As they grew older together and things of the world under Roman rule began to feel more cosmopolitan, the frustrations of “when will the Messiah come” would have loomed large as the world began to shrink. What happened on that day when John the Baptizer cried out in the wilderness, Jesus went to be baptized, He was rejected in Nazareth because He would not and could not do there what had happened in other towns of Galilee and Judea? What happened on that Sabbath when Jesus cast out the demon and restored a beloved member of the community to his senses? What happened when He healed Peter’s mother-in-law and restored her to her place in Peter’s house?

Whatever it was, Jesus was now- not alone! Even when He went to a solitary place to pray and find solace with His Heavenly Father, He was not alone. This is the message of discipleship. We are not called to be alone. We are called to fellowship together. Laugh together. Learn together. Work together. Worship together. Live and die together. It is no small wonder when Jesus came back to “the four” and said, “Follow Me!” that they did not hesitate, nor did their families hold them back. Mighty ones of God, how important it is to make connections with the intention of moving others into the most certain future! This is the hope of our call to be Jesus’ disciples. As the Apostle Paul iterated, “We are to use our spiritual gifting to build up the family of God into the full measure and stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4.12) Being a member of the body of Christ, the Church, and being among “the people of God,” the chosen to be His disciples, is connecting as one family. The world is not a fan of such a family ideal. The world desires a cult mentality which stands opposed to the will of any authority but their own. They desire to “go it alone.” To be a disciple of Christ means “to never be alone.” This is the basis of the command which Jesus added to the great commands of His Father (love God and love your neighbor) which was “Love one another.” The “another” was and is directed to those in the family of faith who put their trust in God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

TODAY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.