The Call to Follow
(S) Scripture
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-20 (NIV)
(O) Observation
As Jesus begins his earthly ministry he seeks out disciples to follow him. The text does not indicate how much Peter and Andrew knew about Jesus. But when he called them they immediately followed. They left their father and the fishing business they were in. Jesus promised to make them into "fishers of men".
(A) Application
It was at the West Virginia Baptist Camp at Cowen that I first sensed God's call in my life. I was 15. I did not have to leave my parents or a job, I just needed to follow the Lord's leading in my life. For years before and sense I have heard people talk about "surrendering to the call" to full time ministry. It is as if a call to "full time" ministry is more important or significant than God's call to other vocations. The "call" as I understand it in this passage is a call to follow and to be made into the person God designed you to be. He makes us and shapes us into who he wants us to be. All his crafting in us is designed for ministry, no one is exempt. We are all called to full time ministry we just have different jobs that fund our ministries. We are each to follow the call in our lives. Mine was a call to pastoral ministries, significant to me but no more significant than God's call is in your life. Different maybe but no more significant. Today I will follow God's call in my life.
(P) Prayer
Lord help me to follow you. Make me into the person you want me to be. Use me today. Amen
2 comments:
It's interesting to trace the word "follow" though Matthew's Gospel. In this case, Jesus called. In other cases, he called but they couldn't come because of excuses. In other cases, they tried to take the initiative on their own (Jesus, I'll follow you wherever you go) but they didn't have what it took. It reminds me the call to "follow" takes 3 steps and not just two....Jesus takes the initiative, we respond, then he evaluates our response to determine it's depth and sincerity. "Bud"
THe call to follow is continually there. God inwdells us by the Holy Spirit so that we are empowered to take the next step in following and also to get up and start again when we fall.
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