"Come, Follow Me"

Fernie Cosgrove

02/19/18

Do you ever struggle trusting God’s plans? Or find it difficult being joyful with the callings He's placed in your life? Me too. Questions of how, when, where, and why flood my head and my heart.

Recently, I asked God to speak to my unbelieving/struggling heart, and as a faithful God, He spoke through the book of Mark at a church service, encouraging me to be faithful in living a life that's glorifying and all-devoted to following Him. The passage, and message, taught me there's three aspects of a servant's call, all of which begin with Jesus.

“As he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat putting their nets in order. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.” - Mark 1:16-20

1) Jesus calls common, everyday people to serve him!

Sometimes it may feel like what you are currently doing is insignificant or very small; but if we can be faithful in the little He will call us to greater things.

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” – Matthew 25:23

God calls us to follow Him and leave everything and everyone for His kingdom! This may seem radical and crazy, but Jesus said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, and even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” – Luke 14:25-27

Have you ever thought about that? We must love Jesus so much, and be willing to follow Him with all our hearts, that everything else seems silly and unimportant compared to His calling.

God calls everyday people for His glory. He literally calls anyone He wants and uses them to be glorified. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the Bible, in which each book is full of inadequate, fearful, uneducated individuals; all of them sinners that depended completely on God to be able to speak to God’s people and carry our His mission for their lives. The thing these individuals had in common - they were all willing to follow God!

Personally, this brings so much joy and encouragement to my heart and soul. The thought that the Lord God Almighty, Holy, Sovereign and Omnipotent would choose to use me, a sinful, fearful, doubting, weak and young girl; not because He needs me but because He wants to use me – is completely astonishing and humbling!

Just as 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 says: "Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world — what is viewed as nothing — to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence. It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us — our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

2) Jesus initiates the calling!

“'Come, follow me' is an imperative command, not a suggestion." Before I heard this statement, I believed I had an option of how I wanted my Christian life to look like. I thought I could decide if my life was going to be a 100% invested on the kingdom or only partially. The reality is I am commanded to follow Christ wherever He leads and however it looks. Now, I have the Godly fear of not obeying and being faithful to God’s calling in my life; and I rejoice He is the one that gives me the strength and grace to obey Him! At this point, we are left with the decision to obey or not obey.

What's hardest for me is Jesus doesn’t say where we are going, how are we going to get there or what will be there… He just tells us to “follow Him." But, I know I can trust Him, and anything He's planned is far better than I could even imagine.

3) Jesus's call has a transformational impact!

Just like the Gospel has a life changing effect in our lives, so does following His command to follow Him. The biggest change I have seen by following His commands is my eyes are set on eternity, impacting my daily life on Earth. This helps me understand my life is not about me, but all about my Savior; informing each of our family decisions.

Jesus also was clear about our possessions: “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. – Matthew 6:19-21

In closing, Brett McCracken once said “I’d like to suggest that the Christian faith is inherently uncomfortable. To be a disciple of Jesus is to deny oneself (Matt. 16:24), to take up a cross (Luke 14:27), to be subject to persecution (John 15:20; 2 Tim. 3:12), to give up the creature comforts of home (Luke 9:58), to forsake the priority of family (Luke 9:59–62; 14:26), to be willing to give up all material possessions (Matt. 19:21; Luke 14:33), to be crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20). And this is just the beginning”.

I pray God continues to move my heart, living with the anthem “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” – Phil. 1:21

Don't be deceived, Jesus is calling you to follow Him as well, dear.