One year ago I was privileged to spend 10 days touring the ancient sites in Israel. Each day I followed our guide. Hela led the adventures, explaining the meaning of what we were seeing, setting historical context, offering insight. I’m sure I could have rented a vehicle, used a GPS, and found the same places but my understanding would have been so much less without that little lady who walked at a brisk pace out in front of our group! I was thrilled to be her ‘disciple’ for that week, learning as much I could from her expertise.
Jesus says “Come, follow me!”
The invitation is not just about taking an interest in Him. It is about becoming
His disciple, devoted to Him, willingly aligning our lives to His teaching,
trusting Him when the Way ahead is hidden to us. We cannot ignore the call to
self-denial that comes with His leadership.
He says it simply: “No one can love two masters!” Will we adopt the attitude of those first
followers? "At once they left their nets and
followed him. When he had gone a little farther,
he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their
nets. Without delay he called them, and
they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him." (Mark 1:18-21, NIV) So
often we only hear of the ‘cost’ of being His follower. There certainly is a
price to be paid but there are rich rewards, a kind of life found in Him that cannot
be discovered in any other way. He says
that in Him we find “abundant life,” life in its fullest now and hope of
eternal life.
Will you take His invitation to an adventure? There will be some uphill climbs through discouragement, times when you overflow with sweet joy, mountain top moments as His Presence settles over you. There will be rocky stretches where He will call you on urging you to ‘press on!’ The key through it all is this - Follow! I urge you to pray something like this: “Father, help me to find You, to follow You, and to show Your goodness in my life. Give me wisdom to say Yes to the Best! Keep me on faithfulness.”
Paul wrote to the Christians in
Philippi, urging them to follow in his footsteps in an adventure with God,
the Holy Spirit. He had made Christ Jesus his Lord and followed Him. Was he flawless
in that choice? He can answer for
himself. "I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these
things or that I have already reached perfection!
His discipleship was a work in progress. “But I keep working toward that day when I
will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I
should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the
past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the
prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” (Philippians 3:12-15, NLT) “I
press on!”
John Bunyan, a devout free Christian in 17th century England, gave us a classic- Pilgrim’s Progress. This man, barely educated beyond the ability to read and write, wrote of Christian’s journey to the Celestial City. In vivid metaphor, Bunyan writes of the journey through the Slough of Despond, along the Wall of Salvation, in the Valley of Humiliation, into the town of Vanity, including a visit to Doubting Castle, and through the Delectable Mountains. In the quaint language of the time he reminds us of the necessity of pressing on!
“This hill, though high, I covet to
ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend.
For I perceive the way to life lies
here.
Come, pluck up, heart; let's neither
faint nor fear.
Better, though difficult, the right
way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end
is woe.”
Let’s journey on! Remember to ‘keep step with the Spirit, since we live by the Spirit.’ This adventure is not a solo hike. Travel with those who share your love of the Savior. Together, we will discover the fullness of the life for which we were created as well as God’s rich grace for each day.
Meditate on these words of Jesus that
speak of the intimate relationship that empowers His followers. The word from the Word calls. Let’s go.
Adventure awaits! "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who
remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can
do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and
withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay
joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and
it will be granted!
My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great
glory to my Father. “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.
Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my
Father and remain in his love." (John 15:5-10, NLT)
(Video of this blog at this link)
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He leadeth me O blessed thought
O words with heavenly comfort fraught
Whate'er I do where'er I be
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me
He leadeth me He leadeth me
By His own hand He leadeth me
His faithful follower I would be
For by His hand He leadeth me
Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom
Sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom
By water's calm o'er troubled sea
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me
Lord I would clasp Thy hand in mine
Nor ever murmur nor repine
Content whatever lot I see
Since 'tis my God that leadeth me
And when my task on earth is done
When by Thy grace the victory's won
E'en death's cold waves I would not flee
Since Thou through Jordan leadeth me
William Batchelder Bradbury
Words: Public Domain
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