Today’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 45, 47, 48; Genesis 37:12-24; 1 Corinthians 1:20-31; Mark 1:14-28
Today’s Writer: Julie Williamson
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. – Psalm 48:14
“I don’t think I could do it,” said my college roommate, Tammie. “How the disciples just dropped everything… I don’t know if I could have done it. I mean, I almost have my degree, I have Jeff… I don’t think I could leave it all and step into the unknown to follow Jesus.” I’m reminded of this conversation as I read the gospel lesson for today. The scripture says when Jesus asked, Simon and Andrew “at once… left their nets and followed him.” James and John, who had been preparing their fishing nets, “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed [Jesus],” when He called them. At the age of 20, Tammie’s comments shocked me. Although she was not actively practicing her faith at the time, she had been raised in the church. Even though I didn’t say it, I arrogantly thought that I would have the faith to step into the unknown and follow Jesus.
It was later that I realized that Tammie was just being honest, much more honest than I was at 20. I had to reflect myself… did I have the faith to follow Jesus into the unknown? There were these Galilean fisherman, going about their daily business, when they boldly left everything and stepped into the unknown. There was Joseph, who started the day looking for his brothers and ended the day looking up from the bottom of the dry cistern where he had been thrown, also looking into an unknown future. Could I trust the Lord to guide me into an unknown future as Joseph and the disciples had?
I had to confess that I although I was trusting in Jesus for my salvation, I was not fully trusting Him to guide my life, even into the unknown. I was trusting in my own wisdom and strength for guidance, forgetting that “the foolish of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” I still must confess and daily look to the Lord to guide me, remembering that He was Joseph’s guide, He was the disciples’ guide, and He will be my guide, even to the end. May we all trust in the Lord to guide us, even to the end.
Image by h.koppdelaney (Used by permission via Creative Commons)
