Follow Me

Matthew 16:24 - Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Those words have been coming to me over the past few days. I was not going to bring this up in my blog, but why not? Our church is doing a 21-day fast. It is to seek God for our lives, families, church, or anything we desire God to show us. It's knowing what God's will is. Fasting is another type of sacrifice. 

I've mentioned before that Jesus is all about sacrifice. He sacrificed, was a sacrifice and as followers we become sacrifices of sorts. We have chosen to believe He is who He says He is, He can do whatever He says He can. We have chosen to trust in Him. We have chosen to have faith in Him. And we should have chosen to sacrifice as well. 

Part of my sacrifice for the past year has been giving up some of the "me" time. I have chosen to set aside as often as possible time in the morning to read His Word, study and meditate on scripture, and listen as He speaks to me through His Word. Sometimes, like even this morning, He has been incredibly silent! Until I read Oswald Chambers' devotion for this morning in My Utmost for His Highest. The title was Called of God. 

When we receive Christ as Savior, we are all joined in that call. None of us is exempt from doing His will and that includes speaking on His behalf to the world around us. Chambers said, The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ whereby their disposition has been altered and their ears unstopped, and they hear the still small voice questioning all the time, "Who will go for us?"  That, too, is a sacrifice.

I'm still learning about sacrifice. I have a lot to learn, in fact. I am not a perfect example of sacrifice. Part of what I want to learn through this fasting time is how to sacrifice more of my time...for God. God asks us to follow Him. He had little time for Himself but a lot of time for others. Where do I fit in with this? 

Chambers added that When our Lord called His disciples there was no irresistible compulsion from outside. The quiet passionate insistence of His "Follow Me" was spoken to men with every power wide awake. I can tell you what Chambers wrote is what actually happened. I can say that when the Lord called me, I had no idea beforehand it was about to happen. It just did in a split second and it was powerful, yet compassionate. God in essence was saying, "Follow Me." Just that fast. And my life has not been the same since. 

One more thing Chambers said: If we let the Spirit of God bring us face to face with God, we too shall hear ... the still small voice of God... That day, nearly 11 years ago I heard that still, small voice asking me to "Follow Me." That takes sacrifice, as I've written about this week.

Sacrifice is also about giving up our own preconceived notions about who God is, not putting Him in a box and limiting His power within our own lives. I have long desired that my voice be heard, but I'm not a vocal person. Perhaps my blog is my outlet...for now...until God tells me to get out of my comfort zone, take up my cross, be bold and be a witness of who He is in this world that is falling apart without Him. If He has given me His Spirit there is nothing I should not be able to do. So what's holding me back?

Perhaps this is my plea to God this morning. To show me what's holding me back. What's keeping me from following Him into any situation? What's holding me back from hearing everything He wants to tell me or ask me to step out in faith to do? 

I don't want to be counted among those who profess to know Christ yet deny His power within me. Jesus tells us in Luke 14:27 that "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." I want to be dedicated to His service. I want to know that I am being used by Him. I want more discipline. I want to stretch my boundaries. And yet it is not me, but God, who will open the doors. But I have to have ears to hear and a spirit willing to follow.

I know I have changed since accepting Jesus. But more layers of the onion need to be peeled off. It will be painful, it will be another sacrifice. But if I truly want to see the Lord working in my life, I need to allow this...one step (out of my comfort zone)...one day...one circumstance at a time.

Colossians 3:10 - ...[you have] clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it. (Amplified version)