Hard Lessons Part 2

As promised, today I will write about the final lesson I have had to learn the hard way. That lesson, which has been the hardest, is follow. This is the value of learning and trusting.

When Jesus first called the disciples, he did not ask them to write about him. He didn't ask them to study or to preach (well at least not in the beginning). His initial calling was simply to come and follow. I have a difficult time with the following. I consider myself to be fairly intelligent and should be able to lead myself... however, the call is the same to me as it was the original disciples: follow. In learning to follow Christ, I have also learned that more often than not He puts people in our lives that we should be following as well. People with a great deal of wisdom and care. Individuals who love God and love us. It is hard to trust and follow the advice of people. And I wouldn't recommend doing it lightly or with every person that you meet. However, I am a firm believer that God intentionally puts people in our lives that are there to mentor us and help us follow Him. 

Back to the topic (sorry for the rabbit trail). "The response of the disciples is an act of obedience, not a confession of faith in Jesus [as the Messiah]" -Dietrich Bonhoeffer. When Jesus calls the disciples, none of them profess faith that he is indeed the Messiah. Not one of them proclaims that he is the Christ. All of them do what was asked of them- they follow.

Is the call to me much different today? Not really. Yes, of course, I must repent of my sins and accept Christ as Lord. However, I do not believe this is the call set forth by Christ himself, primarily. To answer the call of Jesus is to lay down my life and follow him. It is to follow his heart to the least of these (Matthew 25:35-46). It is to follow what he started and to go to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). It is to just follow (Mark 2:14). It is to abide in him (John 16:31-32).

I am forced to repeatedly ask myself one question. Can I answer this call to follow?