Has God ever laid anything on your heart to do that just doesn’t seem to make sense? Have you ever doubted your ability or God’s provision to do what He has called you to do? When Jesus asked Simon to cast his nets one more time for a catch, Simon considered that he had been fishing all night and hadn’t caught a thing. It didn’t make sense. Would it be worth the trouble to do it just one more time? I love that he said, “Because you say so, I will…” (Luke 5:4-7)
That is the kind of faith I want to have, to trust God’s leading no matter what. He has a perfect plan for each of us, and we can be sure He is working everything out accordingly. All we need to do is trust and obey.
“…for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:11b NLT
“…all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalms 139:16 NIV
He told his disciples to come and follow. I like these definitions of what our response needs to be according to these commands:
come: to approach, to advance toward, to exist in a particular place or point.
follow: to pursue, to go after, to accompany, to comply with, to obey, to pay attention to
Here are my answers to today’s questions…
Today’s truth is speaking to me…
I can trust God to lead me in His perfect plan for my life. He will work everything out according to His purpose for my life. I can count on that! Therefore, I choose to follow hard, with all my heart, after Him and to obey Him wholeheartedly. To come and follow Him, as He has called, requires a daily surrender to His leading, and total obedience, even when it doesn’t make sense. Just because He said so is reason enough to comply.
God is asking me to…
Write. He has put specific things in my heart. I am writing a devotional book/Bible study, and working more consistently on my blog. He has also asked me to prepare teaching videos and radio minutes. Rather than second guessing, I need to jump in and obey wholeheartedly. Also, while I am very disciplined about Bible study, He is asking me to be more focused and to have a more consistent schedule. It is about more than checking off a checklist. I need to absorb His truths and allow Him to do a work in my heart through them.
My challenge is to...
Wake up earlier in the morning for Bible study and to submit the rest of my daily schedule to Him. I am also challenged to prepare my first video and to blog daily, or at least several times a week.
Today’s prayer (by Debbie Alsdorf)…
Father, so often I don’t understand what you are leading me to do. Your principles can see outdated, and I am tempted to think that my way is the best way. I bet that is how Simon felt. You told him to do something that seemed silly. It was a test, and you showed him yourself in a giant measure! I want to experience you in a giant measure. I want to do something just because you said so. I want to lay down my net. Help me follow you this way.
Favorite Quotes…
“Each day is a ministry opportunity, a chance to do all that God has called us to do for that twenty-four-hour period.”
“But no matter what is in front of us, there is a deeper purpose to the day; to follow after Christ and pay attention to how he wants us to live in the mundane moments of life.”
“To come and follow is a daily call of surrender to the God who made us.”
“When we follow, we chase after God and his dreams for us. We comply with his voice, obey his lead, and, most importantly, we pay attention to him!”
“He is a life changer, a people mover, a restorer of all things.”
