To Follow = Separate And Imitate

Have you ever had a moment in your life when you wanted to quit absolutely everything and curl up in Jesus' arms for a while. Nothing else, just Jesus?

I hope I'm not the only one.

Life has been fast and loud and semi-crazy for the last year or so, and that kind of motion is overwhelming. I finally broke down last week and threatened to quit my job and all my responsibilities everywhere so I could just study my Bible all day every day. That idea was vetoed, but the point was made.

When I get so busy that I'm not spending enough time with Jesus, I'm too busy. Then my schedule has to give somewhere because otherwise I'm going to fill my life with the extra stuff and not leave enough room for Him. And He is vital to my survival.

But this isn't news to Jesus. He's fully aware of our capacity to put other things before Him and get distracted from what's important. As He began to form His inner circle of disciples, He took special care to call them away from what they were doing into a special new relationship with Him.

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22

"Following Him" at the time meant literally giving up their life and livelihood, putting on their walking sandals, and going where the Lord went. These four men couldn't be surrounded by boats and nets and fish and still be focused on Jesus.

He called them away from what they knew so they could be closer to Him.

Jesus had a plan for these men, and the eight that would soon join them. That plan didn't include their old work and schedule and activities. If they had stayed in those circles, they would have been distracted by the everyday, by their salaries, by their everyday needs. 

They would be His disciples, learning His ways and making them their own.
They would live with Him and travel with Him, learning all His ways.
They would take His ways to heart and imitate them in their own lives.
Then they would teach His ways to others and spread His gospel worldwide.

Not bad for a handful of unlearned fishermen.

Imagine what we can do if we do the same: separate ourselves so we can be with Jesus and imitate what we see while we're with Him. We might not be drained, stressed, exhausted, or grouchy. Our eyes turn away from ourselves and onto Him.

Let's give up the world around us, climb back into the arms of Jesus Christ, and just imitate what see in Him. What a difference He can make in our lives if we let Him!

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