I Will Follow

At church this past Sunday my pastor was preaching about how Elisha dropped everything he was doing to follow after the prophet Elijah {1 Kings19:19-21}. Elisha left behind all that he had known to follow a prophet of God. He didn't waiver or hestitate, he realized the opportunity God was placing in front of him. Then as I've been reading this week I've noticed how the same holds true for the apostles. They always responded to Jesus' call immediately. Everyone knows Matthew 4:19 "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

But how much time do we spend recognizing the powerful truth of the very next verse? "And they straightway left their nets, and followed him." {Matt 4:20} They STRAIGHTWAY, quickly, immediately, stopped what they were doing and followed. They didn't respond by saying, ok Lord right after we're done. But how often is that our response? Lord I'll serve you after I'm done watching this show, or when I finish having fun. When we should be responding by saying, yes Lord I'll go. 

Another thing I noticed is how when Jesus called they were willing to leave behind everything. 

"And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him." -Matt 4:22

"And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him." -Luke 5:11

They left behind everything because things {and often people} can hold you back from serving God. If you are more attached to things than you are to God then how good of a servant can you possibly be? It's like the story of the rich man in Luke 18:22-23. 

"Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich."

This wasn't a rebuke, it was an invitation! Yet the man walked away sorrowful, because He loved his things more that God. Can you imagine that? Being asked by Jesus HIMSELF to come and follow Him, but then turning away sorrowful? It seems crazy right? Yet we do it EVERY SINGLE DAY. None of us are perfect we all have things in our lives that we've put before God. But I challenge you today to ask God to reveal to you whatever it is that you've made an idol in your life and ask Him to tear it down! Don't be like the rich man that walked away from his opportunity. Be like the apostles who recognized the opportunity that was set before them and followed the King of Kings.