The Peace of Following

Good Tuesday morning! Is there anything or any area of your life that you are just perfect at? Something that you never mess up, no mistakes, no screw-ups in that area? I would submit that area as the most dangerous area of your life. You might think that I am goofy. "Ha! I am never tempted in that area, and everything always goes just as I plan. I am good in that area of my life!" Exactly, if God has put that area off limits to the Devil's fiery darts, it is probably not due to our own innate strength or goodness. Quite likely it is just the opposite. Those areas of our lives in which we are constantly falling may become our areas of greatest strength... when we learn to give them over to God. Our own strength will never be sufficient. Talent and skill fall short just when we need them most. When we think that we are strong, then we shut out God and are weakest of all.

God told Paul that His grace was sufficient for and that His strength was glorified in Paul's weakness. Like Paul, we probably want to glorify God in an area we perceive in ourselves as strong. "Let me show you how I glorify you Lord in this area I am so good at. And thank you for making me so good at it, by the way!" Do we really believe that we can be good enough at anything to impress God? I haven't learned how to satisfy myself yet, how could I possibly impress the perfect Lord who created the Earth and skies? It may be that we should stop trying to impress God, and start following His Son. Jesus leads; we follow. Jesus gives; we receive. Wait for it... now the tough one - Jesus commands; we obey. As followers we have given everything to Jesus. We didn't have anything worthwhile to offer Him, but He accepted us just as we were in our sinful state when we asked for mercy. The follower does not lead the expedition. The follower does not supply all that is needed for the journey. The follower learns to listen to the leader and obey.

All of us tend to be little leaders in our own lives, but we gave our lives to Jesus. Even today, you or I might receive a command from our Lord that seems totally alien to our own understanding. Will you submit to follow or try to lead your own Lord and Master?

Enjoy the peace of following Jesus Christ,
Bucky