I have been pondering how Jesus leads us. How He lovingly directs us without disgracing us when we fail or fall short. Jesus has this way of leading us in love but also mercy. The thing we need to remember about Jesus is we cannot separate the attributes of His character. For example, He is righteous and holy. He is full of grace and truth.
Jesus leads us in a relationship of great connection and trust by showing us how to keep in step with the Spirit. He also leads us in how to walk in peace. Jesus leads us in how to walk in the authority he has given us without fear or unbelief.
In following Jesus and being in a relationship with Him, He shows us how we can be made well. Thus, we do not have to walk alone or walk in the dark because He is the light we need. Jesus illuminates what we need to see and hear. He takes what is hiding in the dark and brings it to light.
This is something I can relate to and not just preaching to the choir on this one. Sometimes I forget how I need to submit to His leading instead of wanting things done my way and being a control freak to just get things done.
What I have learned is submitting to God's authority is more satisfying than my own. Just because He is holy and I am human. He can do far greater things than I ever could or will do. Yet, when I submit to God's leading I get to be part of the journey and experience the joys which come with it.
Honestly, I admit there are times I forget how wonderful His leading is because I am too focused on what I selfish want. See God has this funny way of pulling me outside of myself to see the greater picture of how I cannot do things apart from Him because I need Him.
Besides when we have a relationship with Jesus, He leads us into all truth and to believe in His saving grace. God's saving grace allows us to grow in the hardest places where we struggle the most. He even shows up in the places where we have unbelief or doubt. Jesus leads us to stop believing what is no longer true about ourselves or other people. Following the leading of Jesus leads us out from under the lies of the enemy.
In following Jesus we have to be willing to be teachable and willing to submit to His authority. Meaning we have to be willing to believe what He says, "Now" or "At Once" instead of doubting or worrying about the "what ifs" outcomes that may or may not happen. Jesus calls us out from believing what used to be true to find healing in His love.
When we surrender to God and His authority we release what we are holding back into His hands. Besides in releasing things into the hands of Jesus, we stand on the promises He has spoken over us.
Which means we remain grounded in God's word by abiding in God's love. Then we can become like oaks of righteousness a tree deeply planted in God's truth. When we become deeply rooted in God's word we become stronger and gain more grit to withstand what comes our way.
"Make me to know your ways, O, LORD, teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long."(Psalm 25:4-5ESV).
"The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm."(Proverbs 19:23ESV).
Following Jesus and submitting to His leading leads to life. It also leads to finding rest and being satisfied. Nothing else can satisfy us as Jesus can.
Let's face it Jesus is worth waiting for. He is worth trusting because everything else in this life is not trustworthy. The world and culture want us to believe we can find satisfaction outside of God or within ourselves, but the truth is that is a lie.
No amount of self-love can satisfy our souls. It only soothes our egos for a short while until the temporary fix runs out. It is like anything else we try to put ahead of seeking God first. The temporary fixes whether it is self-love, objects, jobs (workloads), etc, we seek satisfaction from will just leave us empty.
Whereas, with Jesus, His love and satisfaction do not run out but instead never end. Sometimes I baffle myself in how easily I get caught up in believing that satisfaction can even be found apart from God. There are so many things trying to take my attention away from God to disbelieve what God has spoken.
There are so many things pulling all of our attention away from God and being led by Him. This world, culture wants us to believe we can find satisfaction and fulfillment in ourselves. This is not true. No amount of self-love can satisfy us or fill our souls. God is the only one who can love us in the most fulfilling way.
Yet, our human flesh can be tempted and lured away from seeking God little by little until our hearts are turned away from God. This breaks my heart because I have let things get in the way of seeking God. But God still forgives me and loves me. All I have to do is confess the sin, turn away from it and turn back to God. It is the same for you too in how to turn back to God if you have lost your way.
I am reminded of a song by Jeremy Camp called "Take You Back" that speaks eloquently of how vast God's love is. The unconditional love of God blows me away from where I cannot fathom it or take it all in. Instead, I have to slow down to take in His love. The agape love of God is astounding in how vast it is. Also, God's love takes my breath away in how He never fails but remains the same.
See following Jesus' lead means surrendering our will to His. This means letting go of our pride to glorify God alone instead of our selfish egos of pride. It also means picking up our crosses to say, "I am going too" just like the disciples got off their boats to follow Jesus without question or debate they just followed.
They followed immediately without hesitation in their hearts. Instead, they just left their boats to follow Jesus. I love how the disciples did not let anything hold them back from following Jesus. There was also no fear or doubt when Jesus called the disciples to follow Him. It just amazes me how they did not question Jesus but instead willingly submitted to being led by Jesus.
This is how I want to be more like this in my relationship with Jesus to willingly follow Him without hesitation or fear. By not letting unbelief get in the way of being led by Jesus.
I have heard many interpretations of what the disciples must have been thinking about when they up and followed Jesus. Like the number of questions, they must have had. Yet, in the text, it just says they followed Jesus without question or hesitation. It does not say there were twenty questions or add lib about what the disciples were thinking.
"While walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fisherman, And he sad to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee they father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him."(Matt 4: 18:22ESV).
Therefore, my encouragement in following Jesus does not let anything hold you back from immediately getting up to follow. I realize things can easily distract us from being completely obedient to God in immediately following Him. But, there is great satisfaction in being obedient to God. His love is very satisfying.
References:
English Standard Version Study Bible (2008) Crossway Publishing, Wheaton ILL,
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