Recognize His call

There are patterns to my days that I follow, each day with its own specific tasks, goals and activities.  I have things to do and want to do them on a specific day and time, because that pattern is comfortable and easy to follow.  When Jesus interrupts it, with good things to do, I need to choose to abandon my pattern and follow Him.

We have a choice to make each day to follow Jesus, we make choices that will draw us closer or further from Christ.  During Lent we make the purposeful choice to examine our own hearts and draw nearer to Jesus in everyway as we prepare to celebrate Easter.  The first disciples had to choose to abandon their patterns and follow Him away from their comfortable lives.

Jesus began His public ministry in Matthew 4, starting in verse 17 the call to follow Jesus is clear and concise.  “17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."”  The first step to following Jesus is to recognize our sinfulness and turn from it to follow Him.

Second, we need to be able to recognize His call.  As you read His words through scripture and pray to build relationship with Him, His call become clearer.  The first disciples were compelled by His call, got up from their normal patterns and followed.

18 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. 19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

As we follow Jesus, we see Him working in a variety of ways and in the lives of people around us.  Jesus is at work all the time; we need to be watching for His work.  When people see miracles and amazing things it is easy to follow Jesus, it is easy to join in the crowd.

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

Yet we know that not all our days are filled with miracles and sometimes it feels as if we are in the desert of our faith.  The call to follow Jesus is to follow Him in the miracles and as well as in the deserts of faith.  Our time of preparation for Easter challenges us to examine our own obedience in following Jesus.  Are we looking for just miracles, healings, and meals? Or are we willing to follow Him to the cross?  Our commitment to Jesus should go beyond the simple patterns of worship and into the deep realms of obedience in all things.

The disciples were called to follow Jesus, to be fishers of men.  When Jesus prepared for the cross, one disciple betrayed Him, one denied Him, and the others abandoned Him.  He calls us to follow, we don’t know where we will go, but we should be prepared to go to into all eternity with Him.  Choose today to follow in obedience by preparing your heart through prayer, study, fellowship and worship so that you will be ready to follow Him to the cross.