God speaks to me. And, no, it's not something I hear with my ears. Instead, He presses things on my heart or places a "theme" in front me so that I can't miss it. Right now, that theme is all about being quick to HEAR and OBEY. I feel like I am finally HEARING Him. I'm open to what He has to say and I am also (finally) ready to take a step forward in obedience. I don't want to be like the man who told Jesus he was ready to follow Him, but first he had to bury his father. Commentary tells us that the man's father was most likely still alive and well, and the man was really saying, "I'll follow you, Jesus.....in a while. After I've seen my father grow old and he passes, then I'll follow you." That man had no way of knowing that Jesus didn't have that long on the earth, and he would miss his opportunity to follow-through on his word to Jesus. When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Did you catch the details about both men mentioned here? One was a "disciple" and the other was a "teacher of the law." These were men who were educated in the Jewish culture.
The man who wanted to bury his father gave a very respectable answer as to why he was waiting to follow Jesus. It was expected that the son would care for his father through his old age and/or until he died. His reservations and reason for delaying, while accepted and commendable from the viewpoint of his family and within his culture, was unacceptable to Jesus. I think we need to ask ourselves what is holding us back from stepping forward and walking with Jesus. Is our reason for delaying one that feels good to us? Does it seem respectable and righteous? Can we list a hundred thousand reasons why we CAN'T follow "yet"? I don't profess to know everything about the Lord, but one thing I do know is that when He calls, we MUST answer, and we MUST obey. Can He do it without us. Oh yes! He created the world and all that's in it without my help, but by golly when He allows me the privilege of being a part of His methods and His plan for the world, I want to jump and grab ahold of the opportunity with both hands. Even when it's hard. Even when it's scary. Even when everything else in my life screams all the reasons why I shouldn't or couldn't. He will not call us without a plan ready to go (even if we can't see it). He will not call us without providing every single thing we need to do the job and do it well. So, why are you holding back? Do you HEAR Him calling? And if so, what's your answer?
4 Comments
Connie Kriegel
8/7/2015 08:51:20 am
Congratulations on your new site! I think you wrote this for me today! So... why is it that your writing always speaks so loudly to me?! ;-)
Reply
8/7/2015 01:52:53 pm
Thank you, Connie!! I am excited to talk with you more! I know God has plans for you (and maybe for us to work together some how?) :)
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Mandy is:Wife to 1. Mom to 6. Lovin' Jesus. Living' Life. Laughin' at the craziness of it all. Archives
September 2017
|
Mandy Pagano