"COME, FOLLOW ME..." MATTHEW 4:19
The word 'disciple' means being an apprentice to someone. And it was easy to tell if someone had done that. Peter, James and John made a decision to spend every day with Jesus in order to learn how to be like Him. Now, they did the same kinds of things you do. They ate, slept, worked, played, and learned. They just did all of these things with Jesus. And now it's your turn. What happened to those three fishermen 2000 years ago, can happen for you. And your season of life, your temperament, your job - these are no obstacles. Throughout history when people came to understand what Jesus was really offering they would sacrifice anything - money, comfort, home, security - to get the chance to be an apprentice to Him. And this is your chance to follow Him too. Read these words from a young pastor in Zimbabwe, Africa, who was later martyred for his faith: 'The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made - I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colourless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognised, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, depend on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labour with power.' That's what it means to be a disciple of Jesus!
The Word for Today, 17 Apr 2007