Do I Want to Follow Jesus?

Do I want to follow Jesus? My immediate response is "Yes, I do!"

At the age of six I was carried down the aisle by my father, who was not a follower of Jesus at the time, and the pastor explained the Gospel to me.    That day I made a decision to ask Jesus to forgive me for my sins (even as a 6 year old, I knew I had sinned against God) and to follow Him the rest of my life.  

Now, many years later,  I find myself asking, “Do I really want to follow Jesus?”

Do I want to go where He went?  Do what He did?  Live like He lived?

Where did Jesus go?  Luke 19:10 says that Jesus “came to seek and save the lost.”   I tend to seek those like me and if someone is lost, I  point them in the right direction.  Unlike Jesus, I do not usually bring them into my home or go into theirs.  Jesus gladly went into the home of Zacchaeus, the despised tax collector. 

What did Jesus do?  Jesus said he came to serve others (Mark 10:45).  He washed the feet of all his disciples, including the one who betrayed him.   The disciples wore sandals and walked on dusty roads which had sewage flowing down them.   Honestly, I don’t like smelly people or smelly feet.  Betrayers are to be ghosted and defriended on social media, not served.  

How did Jesus live?  He lived simply and trusted His Father for every provision.  He spent His alone time in agonizing prayer.   My life is all but simple and many times I find myself striving for the unnecessary.    I do spend alone time in prayer but usually I’m not agonizing over those who do not know Him.   Much of my alone time is spent in my own head or on my phone.

Do I really want to follow Jesus?  Do you?

One problem we face in America is we are led to believe anything is possible if we just work hard enough.  Yet, as one who is pushing 65, let me assure you that trying harder to follow Jesus does not work!  

Jesus told His followers before He died that He would give us a Helper (the Holy Spirit) to enable us to follow Him (to keep His commandments). He also told His followers that following Him would be impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit.  (John 15)

Helping is what I want to do for others, not usually what I want someone else to do for me.   I wish when I was six years old someone would have told me, “Donna, I am so excited you want to say Yes to following Jesus.  But understand it will be impossible without asking the Holy Spirit to help you!  

I do want to follow Jesus! 

My Yes on the table is only achievable with the power of the Holy Spirit.   

What  area of life are you struggling with?

Going where He goes?  To the lost.

Doing what He did?  Serving those who are smelly and have betrayed you.

Living like He lived?  Saying no to the unnecessary and yes to intimate conversations with Jesus.

Or maybe it’s something else.  We just need to humble ourselves and admit we can’t follow Him without completely relying on the Holy Spirit.  

Jesus doesn’t want us to strive or fret.   He wants us to experience peace as we follow Him.

Jesus says to His followers:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.   I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  John 14:27

Say “Yes” to what Jesus is asking you to do today!  Then ask Him to help you and go in peace knowing He will enable you.