If I Say I Follow Him…

For me, saying I follow Jesus is a conscious thought.

As He is not currently walking the earth in human form,

I literally do not drop everything I’m doing to drag along behind Him,

Or mumble something about checking the bread in the oven,

“I’ll be there directly…”

Or ask to finish drinking coffee with Hubs,

“Hang on a minute, one last drop…”

He’s not standing in my path beckoning to me,

Fixing me with His eyes and indicating the direction I’m to follow with a nod and a smile,

Or taking me by the hand and leading.

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Following Jesus is not about a click on my iPhone,

It’s not about checking in to my social media every now and again to see the latest update,

getting caught in the hottest drama,

sucked into the perfect picture.

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Proclaiming that I am “following Jesus,” is a great phrase for me to turn over in my head while I’m walking or caught in a mindless task.

Literally the verb ‘to follow’ suggests a written directive,

clear instructions,

a physical leader or

a way of life.

As a Jesus follower I have a certain amount of latitude.  I can read His Word and adhere as closely to the teachings found therein as my life allows.

I liken it to the way I follow a recipe, adjusting as I go, substituting as I check my pantry, modifying according to the dietary limitations of whoever’s coming for dinner.

When Jesus says, ‘follow me’ he is extending an invitation that hints at choice.

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My gift of free will sees to that.

Jesus invites, He calls me to come along, to share in His Kingdom,

Sometimes I accept,

Sometimes I don’t.

Which brings up this question.

If I’m invited,

or called,

or commanded

and don’t hear or respond,

will Jesus go on without me?

Yes!

Esther, when asked by Mordecai to use her influence at court concerning an edict issued against the Jews by the King.  She hesitates.  But Mordecai warns,

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)  (Italics mine)

I love it…

The Message:

The Kingdom of God will still prevail if Esther refuses, God will rise up another Jew.

And Esther prays and fasts and finds her strength in God.  She boldly goes before the king and saves both her family and the Jewish nation thus changing the course of history.

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My refusal will only change my life not God’s plan.

I can sit on the sidelines and watch or I can throw myself into the huddle and come out victorious with Christ.

So… although Jesus moves on if I don’t accept His invitation

He doesn’t move on from me!

He stays with me.

Even when I’m not thinking about Him.

Even when I shut Him out,

Even when I rant and rave and disown Him because things aren’t going my way,

Following

When I remember to stop and look around there He is

in the smallest white rose,

Daughts’ radiant face,

a shoal of goldfish,

a russet sunflower,

the stunning sunset.

If I say I follow Him and lag behind He falls in beside me.

Always.

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