Follow Me

Noah Webster’s Dictionary defines “follow” as: (1) To copy after; to take as an example; (2) To go or come after; to move behind in the same path or direction; hence, to go with (a leader, guide, etc.); to accompany; to attend.

Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines “follow” as: (1) imitate.

As children, we have all played “Simon Says” and “Follow the Leader.” I can remember as a child going in my parent’s living room and playing church – imitating what I seen in church. My friend Belinda and I would take turns singing and preaching and would run around the room with our hands raised say “woo”. Now that I am a parent, I have seen my children when they were smaller imitating church like I did. They would pray for each other as well as their friends and then they would fall out. My husband is a pastor and I have a picture of my son when he was about three years old with a microphone in one hand and a bible in the other. He was just imitating what he has seen his daddy do.

All through the gospels we read where Jesus says “follow Me”.

Jesus calls His first disciples in Matthew 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Here are a few more verses:

Mark 2:14As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
Luke 9:23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
John 8:12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 10:27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 12:26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

This phrase “follow Me” has been swirling around in my thoughts. Lysa TerKeurst says that one way to know God is speaking is that it will be verified by other sources. My ears seem to perk up whenever a song comes on the radio about following Christ, whenever I read a passage in scripture, whenever I hear someone speaking, in conversation, reading other blogs. So I know God is speaking to me about following Him.

Now I have been serving Jesus since I was a small child. Following Jesus goes beyond salvation – that is just the beginning.

We will pick back up on this tomorrow.

Let’s pray. Father, we thank you for your gentle nudges, your whispered words, calling us to follow You. May our hearts and spirits be ready to follow You in all that we do and say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings,