Daily devotional, 08 July 2024 Reporting for duty
"If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
John 12:26
It is a common phrase we hear as we watch military movies. There is a newly assigned personnel, approaching his new commander and telling him he is “reporting for duty,” ready to work on any task assigned to him.
Such is the attitude we should adopt as we hear Jesus whispering in our hearts to come follow Him. We are to go right away, “as is where is,” no need to be ultra-righteous before we follow His lead.
"Only let each person lead the lifethat the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches."
1 Corinthians 7:17
There are several stories in the gospel that would reflect such an attitude of surrender to the Lord. The disciple Matthew for instance was called by Jesus, from his tax collection booth. Despised by many because of working for the Romans, he left his old life to journey with the Lord.
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13
The same happened when He called His other disciples, Simon Peter and Andrew, who were working as fishermen. They left their old lives, did not have to master everything that needs to be learned to follow Jesus, and yet God used them mightily in building His kingdom.
There was also a story about Jesus calling someone to follow Him and yet this person needed to bury a family member. When that person told Jesus that, the Messiah told him to just live the task to others and follow Him right away.
"And Jesussaid to him, 'Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Yet another said, '“I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.' Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:60-62
You see, when the Lord calls us to surrender our lives to Him, we have to follow Him right away. We should not allow our past failures, guilt, shame, shady background, dark past, and sins get in the way of it. We can just leave our past behind, confess and repent of our sins, stop sinning, accept Him as our Lord, and follow His ways ASAP.
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."
John 15:16
And as we follow Jesus and His teachings, live a life of total surrender to His sovereignty, we will get sanctified along the way. How? As we endeavor to learn more about God and the life of our Messiah, we will get to know all of His commands and teachings. As we become more spiritually disciplined by regularly having quiet time of prayer and bible reading, we will strengthen our relationship with Him and grow more amazed at His love and grace. Such a feeling is bound to transform our hearts and minds into the kind of person that God wants us to be.
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."
Ezekiel 36:26-27
So although we can no longer undo our past, we must remember that as soon as we repent from our sins and step away from them, we will still be worthy of His love and mercy. Our Heavenly Father pardons repentant sinners and does not hold grudges against them. Instead, He blesses them with a clean slate, so that they can live meaningful lives and look forward to eternity with Him.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
2 Corinthians 5:17
So how do we present-day followers hear Him when He calls us? Well, God calls us in a lot of ways. The renowned Christian theologian and writer C.S. Lewis says “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
Whatever our life situation is, He is calling us. If we are not yet following Him, and we just listen closely to our hearts, we can realize that He has been waving, calling us by name, giving us both material and spiritual gifts, just to get our attention and so we can finally decide to journey with Him.
"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfoldand will inherit eternal life."
Matthew 19:29
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 19:27-30 and Matthew 9:9-13 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Have you decided to follow God?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for calling me to follow You. Thank you for tirelessly calling my attention, and showering me with your love and mercy. Give me the courage and confidence to live a life of total surrender to you. Amen.
