“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Mark 1:17)
Life is complicated—and life for the Christian is even more so. We have so many cultural narratives competing for our attention, jobs taking our time, and responsibilities sapping our energy. It seems like every new screen complicates life just a little more—makes living out the gospel just a little more fraught.
But when we look to the Bible—a long, dense book with an even longer, denser history—the clarity of Jesus’ words are often reassuring. “Follow me,” he says, “and I will send you out.” We all struggle to navigate technological wildernesses today, and Christ’s words carve a straight path through even that.
The universe testifies to God’s goodness, and we must respond with whole-souled, practical action, whether that means leaving our jobs like the first disciples or testifying within them. But once we agree to follow God, the second choice—to practice that following daily—comes into play. And that’s where things get really interesting.
In following, we may not know the destination or what lies ahead, but we can trust in the One who sends us. Thus, we are reminded to look to God continually, testifying to his work in us, leaving behind our former selves, and sharing his grace through words and actions with those still waiting for his Spirit’s nudge.
Consider what Christ’s command to follow means for you.
Lindsey Priest is an Indiana Wesleyan University graduate and lives in Arkansas with her husband and two sons. She likes to read to the kids, play video games with her husband, and refurbish furniture.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
