Aug 31, 2010
"Follow Me"
Sunday night, our church had a presentation from Dan the Animal Man. He was very passionate about his animals and God’s Word. At the end he said something that really moved me; we all get in our cars to go home and have blind faith that the other people around us will not hit us. We know that they will drive to the best of their abilities and obey the rules of the road. So Dan asked, “Why can’t we put our faith into Christ like this”? This is an amazing question!
Jesus asked others several times in the Bible “follow me”. Some leaving their jobs, families, communities, and lives altogether. Matthew 4:19-"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.
Could you imagine just picking up and leaving to follow someone? Where would you go? How would your needs be met (food, clothing, etc.)? These men did not question and all was provided for them. They trusted Jesus and believed in him.
I’m not saying to drop all of your responsibilities and put your family and lives in danger. But it’s the little things that matter most sometimes. Follow…His teachings. Follow…His guidance. Follow…His message. Follow…his laws. Read the Bible and follow. Once you see how easy it is, it will be second nature to you. He gave up His life for us so we could live. Now we must live for Him. “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:19-20.
So why would anyone not follow Christ? Some are ashamed? Afraid of getting labeled as a religious fanatic or “bible beater”? The true shame is in denying Him. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Matthew 16:24-27.
By all the evidence above, I think it would be in everyone’s best interest. If you are not a follower of Christ, then who is leading you and where are you going?? So I challenge you, can you follow?
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It is remarkable how the first disciples dropped everything to follow Jesus when he said 'follow me.' I suppose it was the work of the Spirit. But as for your suggestion that this is blind faith, or that blind faith is needed, I think otherwise. The disciples had ample sight and reason to believe that Jesus knew what he was doing, was worthy of following, and was even God himself. He fed 4000 people with seven loaves of bread, afterall. Even after seeing Jesus do miracles the disciples' faith was shaky at times (boat in the storm). So I don't think we must rely on blind faith, because God has given us plenty of things to look at to see Him and His magnificance. The key is to do the looking, as Jesus said, "seek and you will find." We can find clear evidence of all this by simply studying the Bible and Christian apologetics. I believe a faith based on knowing God will result in following whole heartedly
ReplyDeleteAmen and well put. It's not that it is blind faith so much that we are getting at but I do think that blind faith is involved to a point. That first step, when you 1st believe, that requires blind faith. It is after we take that leap of faith to follow Him that we begin to see and learn and grow. I am glad you liked the piece and appreciate the different take.
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