A Holy Adventure

A Holy Adventure

At the far edge of my memory, reaching back almost 6 decades, are images of being with my Dad. He was only in his mid-20’s but to me he was big, strong, safe, and wise.  In 1959, we lived in Northwest Iowa and he  bought and sold sheep. From my toddler years I accompanied him every day.  He introduced me as his ‘sidekick.’ I was all of 4 years of age, but he made me feel like a man.  I followed him everywhere, doing what he did, standing where he stood, both consciously and unconsciously adopting his mannerisms. When he got up early in the morning to go to visit farms to buy a small flock or to an auction barn, I was ready to go, too. Where he was, I wanted to be. I was his ‘disciple!’ 

Here is a pointed question for you -  are you just a friend of Jesus or are you His disciple?  
Asked another way, do you drop in to church on Sunday to ‘see’ Him for an hour or so; or do you follow Him daily, inviting Him to shape and form your life?

The Gospels record an invitation Jesus extended:  "The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 1:43, NIV) "After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him." (Luke 5:27, NIV)  The response of those men is difficult for us to grasp.  How could they just walk away from their lives, their families, and go after this Man? But, they did!  They were privileged to see Him heal the sick, to hear His amazing words, though sometimes what He said confounded them.  They were changed by being close to Him, invited to a whole new way to live.  We can never forget that their devotion was costly.  Everyone of those disciples literally gave their lives to Christ.

He offers the invitation of becoming a disciple to us. He says, “I am the Way!” and we will find eternal life when we will follow Him, living as He lived, shaping our thoughts, our words, our actions around His wisdom. Hear Him - “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?" (Luke 9:23-25, NLT)

There is no richer way to live than following Jesus. There is no more costly choice we make than following Jesus! Yes, both statements are true. In Him we find purpose beyond just ‘making a living’ and finding some happiness for the moment. We become part of His work that saves us and our world. We also enter into the same kind of suffering that He experienced.  So many want to be a friend of Jesus, enjoying the benefits of the Kingdom.  The costly way of discipleship is not so readily embraced, is it?

Have you heard His invitation? What is your response?

As you meditate on this passage today, I encourage you to give yourself, without reserve, to Jesus. Make your prayer one of complete surrender. “Lord, you lead, I’ll follow.”  And, He will lead you all the way to your Home.  Here is the word from the Word.

" As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62, NLT)

Let’s go, disciple. The adventure begins, today.

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I Will Follow

(worship at this link)

Where You go I'll go

Where You stay I'll stay

When You move I'll move

I will follow

All Your ways are good

All Your ways are sure

I will trust in You alone

Higher than my sight

High above my life

I will trust in You alone

Where You go I'll go

Where You stay I'll stay

When You move I'll move

I will follow You

Whom You love I'll love

How You serve I'll serve

If this life I lose

I will follow (You)

Yeah I will follow You

Light into the world

Light into my life

I will live for You alone

You're the One I seek

Knowing I will find

All I need in You alone

In You alone

In You there's life everlasting

In You there's freedom for my soul

In You there's joy unending joy

And I will follow

Chris Tomlin | Jason Ingram | Reuben Morgan

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