Heed & Follow

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him." Matthew 4:19-20

One thing in the Bible is clear. When Jesus walked the earth, it was nearly impossible to be in His presence and not be changed. You walked away either loving Him or hating Him. Staying indifferent about who He was and what He said was difficult at best.

For when Jesus came on the scene, occupations changed. Fishermen became fishers of men. Tax collectors became philanthropists and wrote Gospels. At His word, addresses changed. Demons became pig dwellers. Lepers got to go home. Reality was drastically altered. Dead children came back to life. The lame walked. The blind saw. The deaf heard and water was turned into wine. 

All because of the presence of Jesus. But in every encounter, there came a choice. To heed and follow or resist and walk away. The rich young ruler came seeking validation but went away sad. Challenged - but unchanged. Though Judas walked with Jesus for three years, his heart followed his own agenda. For sadly, we can appear to worship yet never give in to worship's demands.

We can claim Christianity, but until we allow Christianity to make a claim on us we may be stirred, but we will never be changed.

What has God been saying to you lately? Or has it been a while since you've really sensed His presence or heard His voice? May I encourage you to  go back to the last thing He said to you - the "last point of obedience" as one writer puts it. For until you obey God there, you will never know the joy of moving forward into everything He has for you.

Heed and follow. That's all Jesus asks. He'll lead the way.

Lord, help me to remember the last time I was obedient to You. Help me to become obedient again. That is the only way I am going to make it in this world. I want to heed and follow You. Amen.