"Come, Follow Me." -Jesus

If a man, you maybe only heard of or saw a few times, walked up to you at work and said, "Come, follow me!"...would you drop everything you were doing and follow him?

After reading in Matthew 4, I find myself trying to put myself in the story. Simon, Peter (Andrew), James, & John did just that. (Matthew 4:18-22). It says Simon & Peter were casting their nets, getting ready to make their catch of the day. This was what they did as a living to help support their families. And up walks Jesus, who had just began teaching, and said, "Follow me." I can't help but wonder what their families must have thought. They must have been so dedicated to God and so close to Him that they trusted Him enough to drop their work and follow His Son.  The same could be said of James & John. I wonder what emotions their father went through as he saw his sons rise from helping him with the nets, to follow this man. Who was he? Had they already heard Him teach in the streets? I can just imagine them all sitting there on their boat working together, talking & laughing, going about their normal day....and then boom...there's Jesus and says "Come, follow me!". And just like that they did. Did their father sit there dumbfounded that he was left to work the nets alone? Or maybe he sat there with a grin on his face, completely happy & satisfied that they were following the Master. Just some curious thoughts on my part.

But the question still remains; Would you do the same? Are we close enough to God, that we would recognize His voice when He calls to us? Would we recognize Jesus, in an instant, & drop what we were doing if He asked us to "Follow Him?" In one sense, He has done just that. Spiritually when we except Him as our Savior, we drop the old way of living & begin to follow Him. Living a pure & holy life. But do we listen to His call in the physical form of life? Maybe give up something, go visit someone, join a small group at church, preach, teach, sing, etc. Whatever it may be that Christ calls you to do, are you willing to do it? (No matter the cost?)

Just some thoughts. In Sunday school we have been encouraged to try and put ourselves in the shoes of those we read about when studying the Word. I've already done that in the past, but I find myself doing it more. Wondering just what it must have been like to experience those moments first hand.

I Will Seek You & Learn to Walk...

This song has been coming to mind a lot this month. This morning the only line I could remember was "And step by step You'll lead me. And I will follow You all of my days!"  Earlier this month the line "I will seek you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways" kept going throug my head. I hadn't heard the second song, (that they go into on this video), but this was the most calming video I could find for this song. ;)

I have been singing it in my head after reading Psalm 119:41-80 this morning. I will have to expand my thoughts on these scriptures later, but I leave you with this: 

Psalms 119:45-48 (NLT) "I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed. How I delight in your commands! How I love them! I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees."

I am so thankful for the Freedom I have in Christ, as I seek Him & learn to walk in His ways! :)

Consumed. Overwhelmed. Pant.

"As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after You. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you!"

In Sunday School we are on a study titled "The Door to Liberation". We have homework this week to read Psalm 1:1-3 & Psalm 119. As I began to read 119 this morning, I couldn't help but stop at verse 20 & reflect.

Psalm 42:1-2 was read on Sunday: "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (‭‬ESV)

(Taken from my notes on Sunday...)

"Do we pant after God as the deer pants for water? (Psalm 42:1-2) The term addiction is usually thought of in a negative light, but it can be good if we are addicted to God. "

Psalm 119:20 says:

(NLT) "I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations."
(ESV) "My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times."
(NIV) "My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times."

(KJV) "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times."

Are our souls overwhelmed or consumed with/for Him? Something to stop & consider.

Focus on This One Thing.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)

What is your focus on this year? I found this new study called: "One Word that will Change Your Life". And the idea is to search and pray for God to bring you one Word to put your focus on. As I was reading yesterday, I felt like the word "seek" spoke to me. Mostly bc I feel God has already been calling me in that direction to seek more of Him. And so that will be my "one focus" throught this year. It may sound like a new year's resolution, but it's not. It's a life change.