You Lead, I'll Follow

As I put my son to bed last night he said "Mommy, how come everyone doesn't love God?" "Well, not everyone wants to give up there own way and follow God. Some people don't want to let God be in charge so they reject Him" I said. "So they'll go to hell then won't they?" He said with a tear in the corner of his eye.

What a soft and pliable heart. The heart of a child that follows Jesus so easily. The kind of heart we should all have. Once again, I am taught a lesson by my eight year old son.

From a small child we are taught to be independent, able to take care of things on our own. We learn how to deal with things on our own so we can move away and handle our life apart from our parents. Often, in that equation, we learn to be independent so well that we forget how God hard wired us. He hard wired us to be dependant on Him.

Being dependent and just following God where He leads is difficult. Seems so odd that following should be difficult, but it is. We were designed by our creator to walk with Him, and allow Him to give us what we need. When Adam chose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil it changed everything. We now fight against our hard wiring. We now have a sin nature that wants to be in control, to be independent. So what is best for us is the very thing we fight against.

I was told this story the other day by a friend. "In seminary a professor of mine took our class through an exercise. He took us on a tour where we all lined up behind him and followed him all over the campus. He said nothing and ended up back in the classroom. What we had done was reminiscent of the game follow the leader. He ended the exercise by telling us 'This is our job with God, we are to follow. Where He says to go, we go. That’s all, we follow'. "

Seems easy enough. Right?

Not always so when your sin nature is fighting against it. Our biggest enemy in this battle is our self. Satan fights against us yes, but we often get in our own way. God says to go one way and we would rather go another.

Sometimes its fear that pushes us in our own direction. We know He is calling us to do something but the thought of it is way too scary. What would people think? They might think I am crazy. Or what if I fail? You say to yourself. What if I really didn't hear Him right? I probably didn't, so you stay right where you are or go a different direction. Going in a different direction didn't work for Jonah and it probably won't work for you either.

Maybe it could be pride that keeps us from following. Thinking we know enough to take care of it ourselves. Why bother Him, I can get this one. "You just relax God, I got you covered" my pride seems to say at times. How ridiculous is that!? Me thinking I know better than God?

Suffice it to say what ever the hindrance, we would be much better off if we just let go and let God. Then just follow Him when he tells us, "Let’s go".

The disciples followed Jesus. Day in and day out for three years, they followed and learned as they went. This is what we are called to do. Not to walk beside and decide together. Not to get in front and lead Him. Not to lag behind and catch up later. We are to follow Him. So closely on His heals that we get the dust from His sandals kicked up on us.

Matthew 16:24 - Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

If we desire to go with Jesus, He is clear. We must deny our own sin nature, take up our cross and follow Him.

Help us humbly follow behind you Lord. For You do know best.