An Obvious Theme . . .

 

READ Matthew 1–4

At the command of an angel, Joseph married a pregnant virgin. At the appearing of a star, Maji went searching for a king. They were told to report to a foreign king but warned in a dream, they did not. In another dream, an angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt and he took the child and his mother and fled, returning only when another angel told him it was safe.

Told by the Lord to do so, John the Baptist told people to repent. When Jesus requested to be baptized, John was unsure of the need, but consented and obeyed.

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He went, even fasted and passed the tests from the evil one. He, God in human flesh, submitted to the ministry of angels. Then He also preached repentance. He called Simon and Andrew from the fishing to follow Him. Immediately they left their nets and followed Him, as did John and James.

He healed the sick and cast out demons and the people brought the sick and those afflicted; He healed them all and great crowds followed Him.

I’m thinking how slow I can be to hear Him call and then do exactly what He asks. Would I be more apt to obey and quicker if angels told me what to do? If I had dreams giving me directions? If He came to me while I was working and specified exactly what He wanted? If I could see Him? If He answered all my prayers for healing and spiritual victories? Or do I make excuses, have my own agenda, make my own plans, and just want to keep doing my own thing?

His disciples dropped what they were doing and went. Yesterday, Jesus kept whispering to me to come aside and pray. Yes, He helped me with the project that had me preoccupied, but I didn’t drop it to give Him my full attention. I’d chat, briefly, then return to my project.

James and John paid a price to follow Jesus: And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. (Matthew 4:19–22)

 They left their nets and their father, their jobs and their families. All He asked me to leave was a project that would still be there after I finished praying. They obeyed immediately, a word translated from eutheos, meaning at once or instantly, without any hesitation. This entire reading is about obedience, and as a test of my response to Jesus, I flunk far too often or don’t give Him my full attention.

Lord God, I know You forgive and give second-chances. I also know my salvation does not depend on me in any way except that obedience shows that You have redeemed me. This habit of being easily distracted to do my own thing needs to change. I know that I cannot rescue myself or make myself be totally surrendered. I can only yield to You each time You ask until obedience becomes the norm instead of a battleground. Make me more like You, whatever it takes.