Follow Me

When was the last time you had an "Aha!" moment? You know, one of those moments when something you've seen or read a thousand times you suddenly see and understand in an entirely new light for the first time.

I had one of those recently when I was reading in Matthew:

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. - Matthew 4:18-20 (NASB)

Jesus' words, "Follow Me," arrested me with a self-check: Did I just hear something new?

I wondered how many times Jesus used the phrase Follow Me (22, if my math is correct).

As  I looked at some of the verses, one in particular stood out.

If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me, to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.  - John 12:26 (AMP)

That's when the real aha! moment happened. I heard His voice, and learned something new:

Following Jesus means something to God.

God values His word above His own Name (Psalm 138:2). A promise, a commitment is a big deal to Him (Isaiah 55:11). Words mean a lot to God. Proverbs is filled with admonishments about words (e.g. Prov. 18:21). Solomon encourages us about words (Ecc. 5:1,2). Just as we test His words for our lives, so also will He test our words - namely, are we serious about following Him.


Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart; it cannot be done by any who are merely devoted. When you profess Jesus as Lord and Savior, He takes that seriously.

It is very much like breathing in that once you realize it is truly necessary for life, there are no other viable options. Just as we need air to breathe, we need Jesus. The Bible tells us that "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

When I follow Jesus, it shows me a lot about myself. While focused on keeping up with Him, I lose  sight of where I am and who I think I am because I am concentrating totally on Him.

And I see that I cannot comprehend Him, let alone keep up with Him. Yet He bids me to follow on, and in so doing, He takes me beyond myself, beyond my own pitiful resources. beyond where I can see. If I try to discern the path on my own, it is dangerous. But if if I continue following, I find Him. That brings me to the second thing I learned.

I cannot stand still. I must go on.

To stand still is to be in a treacherous place. It is to be a sitting target for the enemy. It is like becoming stagnant water that festers over time. But to be with Christ is to be in the safest arms I could possibly rest in. It is to be full of Living Water and the Bread of Life, with joy unspeakable, full of glory!

So. Shall we walk, dear ones? Or shall we stand still? I have chosen to go on so that I may take hold of that for which I was taken hold of - that I might gain Christ. He is never far from any of us.