I often wonder what the disciples must have felt when they met Jesus. Reading about the calling of the first disciples in Mark 1:16-20 has me wondering anew. How did they know it was the right thing to do? They were being asked to leave everything they knew, to follow a carpenter turned rabbi. (Yes, we know he was much more, but did they?)
In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus offers people keys to the kingdom. He tells them to "repent and believe the good news." Freedom had drawn near to man, he need only to take it as it was offered. Jesus was calling folks to come near.
With Peter, Andrew, James, and John it was different. He called them to come follow him. He offered to make them fishers of men. Did they understand the significance of that? Surely, they must have understood it (at least in part) because they followed him.
His call was a call to follow whatever the cost. They left behind nearly everything they knew. James and John even left their father on the boat.
I can't imagine what they were thinking. I have tried, but with no success. All I know is what it was like when I heard the call of Jesus. I didn't see him, nor did I hear him. But I heard that call to repent-to change my mind. It was a call to abandon my hatred for God, and my disbelief. It was a call to change directions in my life. And in an unbelieving heart, faith sprang to life in an instant. I heard the call, and I had to answer it.
Maybe I know a little bit about what it was like for the disciples. When the Lord captures your heart, you don't think about all the unimportant stuff. You just think about the grace that has overflowed to you. He calls and you go-just to be near him.
Jesus is calling us all to follow him. Have you answered the call?
No comments:
Post a Comment