Fishing Boat Returning at Dusk
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. Mark 1:16-20
My devotional book this morning asked me how I would have responded to Jesus when he made his call to Peter and the others. How would I have answered when he said, “Come, follow me.” I’d love to think that, like Peter, I would have dropped everything and heeded the call. The reality is, I like to mull things over. I don’t like making rash decisions on the spur of the moment, certainly not about important issues such as faith.
Maybe, I thought to myself, these fishermen had heard about Jesus and this was the last hurdle – Jesus’ personal call. Whatever the reality, they heard and responded. Their journey wasn’t a smooth downhill coast from there, yet they persevered. Yes, God had prepared them with His Holy Spirit and the truth is, every Christian since has been blessed because of their obedience to Jesus call. The Word has been spread, the church expanded and faith multiplied through their faithfulness.
This leaves me with two thoughts. For me, I am glad that I grew up in a Christian family and this call came quietly and steadily over many years. My faith grew incrementally. There was no command that required my instant obedience. God, in His grace, worked around my cautious character, nurturing me step by step in the midst of my family. My second thought reflects on the blessing that we have received from the obedience of God’s people in the past, whether the disciples, parents and grandparents, or other faithful Christians. Their investment of time, effort and often their lives, has left us with an amazing heritage. Will future generations be blessed through our heeding of God’s call?
So, Jesus says, “Come, follow me.” O.k. you’ve had time to think about it. What is your answer?
Travels from Ur 