Follow.
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007“And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” ~ Mark 1:16 – 18
God is always at work in the background. We may not always understand His purposes, or the circumstances as they present themselves, but God is working nonetheless. I am sure these men were confused and dismayed when John the Baptist was placed in prison. Although hard to understand, God’s will for John the Baptist, Simon, and Andrew was different from what they could have expected.
I can relate to Andrew here. He was in the midst of a great thing. John’s teachings rang true and spoke of hope for a coming savior. Spending time listening to the message of John must have been a really encouraging thing. And then in the midst of that joy, John was sent to prison, and feelings of loss must have overcome Andrew. So in the midst of the loss, he went back to the familiar of his life. The amazing spiritual high, was still remembered, but without a leader he went back to the mundane. I can think of many times in my life where I have felt the spiritual potency of a message or experience is no longer near to me, and I go back to the everyday. Not walking away from the Lord, just going about my day, without the same dedication that was once there.
But the story does not end there. Jesus had a bigger calling for those men. They were to be among the 12 men He poured His life into, that they might carry on after His death. What an honor. I should not forget this example. My calling to follow after Jesus does not change because the spiritual highs in my life seem to be in the past. His call extends beyond the immediate circumstance of my life, and pulls me into a greater purpose according to His will.
Once that message is heard, we should follow the example from these men. Immediately we should leave the mundane, and pursue our life according to the purposes of Jesus. I need to make my life’s ambition to know and follow the example of Jesus, no matter the cost. As I write this posting, a quote from Jim Elliot comes to mind. “He is no fool, who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot loose.”
Lord, may I follow you when you call my name. Remind me of your provision in times of need, and restore my soul when I am feeling spiritually low. Help me to hold loosely to the things of this world, and seek the amazing plan you have for my life. I know your plan is not my plan, so keep me flexible to your guidance.
