Come, Follow Me...

“Come, follow me…and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19)

With this invitation, Jesus extends His hand to you.  His desire is that you take it. 

As you take it, He wants you to talk with Him. He wants to hear your joys.  What’s going good?  What are you proud of?  He wants you to celebrate and laugh with you.  He also wants to hear your concerns and frustrations.  What are you mourning?  What are your disappointments?  Nothing is too big or small.  Don’t hold anything back.  He’s got all the time in the world.  He wants you to feel his presence and know He is with you every waking and sleeping moment of every single day.  Even when you are totally and utterly convinced that you are alone and helpless, the hand is forever extended…waiting.  Come, follow me.

As you take it, He wants you to walk with Him.  He wants you to follow in His footsteps and be a disciple “in motion.”  He wants you to live out your faith and to give evidence of that faith through the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  He wants you to demonstrate the love you have for Him through the love you offer to others.  He wants you to offer kind words to each person you meet.  It doesn’t matter who it is and what their background is.  More importantly, He wants you to be His incarnational (the hands and feet of Jesus) presence in their life.  Even when you have been emotionally wounded or verbally attacked and the last think you want to do is “turn your check,” the hand is forever extended…waiting.  Come, follow me.

Once you take His hand (and you begin talking and walking with Him), He sends you out into your life to interact with people.  Every person you encounter, whether family, friend, or complete stranger is a potential “fish” in need of being “caught.”  Please do not misunderstand.  It’s not your task to convince or win other people over.  Jesus is not a product to be “sold” or “peddled.”  Your task is to cast the line and you do this by talking and walking with Him.  Your life, what you say and do, is a powerful witness that invites “nibbling.”  It’s Jesus who does the actual catching.  Even when you feel completely inadequate and under-qualified, the hand is forever extended…waiting.  Come, follow me…and I will send you out to fish for people.

God is calling you into a deeper relationship.  He desires your trust and obedience because He wants you to experience His love and peace.  Once you do, your life will be forever changed. 

The questions remains for you to answer:  Will you take Jesus’ hand and go fishing?