Will I Follow You?

“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.'

Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.'

He said to another man, 'Follow me.'

But the man replied, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'

Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'

Still another said, 'I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good–by to my family.' Jesus replied, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God'” (Luke 9:57-62).

How often have you been in the middle of singing your guts out during a worship service, and proclaim, “I will give it all to You!” Or, maybe you have listened to an incredible sermon and found yourself face down promising God, “Yes, Jesus, I will follow You!  I'll do anything you ask!” But somehow, only hours later, you forget about your vows and return to the grind of everyday life. Your Bible is left closed on your bedside table and prayer is an afterthought as you drift off to sleep.

Throughout the New Testament, we see various examples of Jesus calling His disciples to follow Him (Levi in Luke 5:27, Matthew in Matthew 5:27, and Peter and Andrew in Matthew 4:19). In each verse, we see the disciples immediately get up and follow. Luke 9:1-2 says that Jesus called His disciples together, gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. But, only a few verses later, a man tells Jesus that he begged the disciples to drive out a demon, but they could not. Despite Jesus' calling and empowerment, the disciples couldn't heal.

Like many of us who have accepted Christ, the disciples were not desperate for the Lord. Instead, they were content to stand on the sidelines and watch Jesus perform miracles. If we want to experience His Glory and receive His protection, we must give Him everything. We must get on our face before Him in desperation waiting with expectation for Him to speak. When Jesus says “Follow me” we are to follow desperately. When we do, He will bless!