By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Luke 5:27-28 “After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.” – NIV
These words were very common from Jesus to whoever He first encountered in His ministry. They were not just calls to join the crowd as they moved along. It was a call to commitment, service and willingness to go all the way with Him. To Levi (Matthew) who was a tax collector, the call meant abandoning his job and going after Jesus for another responsibility. The same happened to the other disciples who left what they were doing to follow Jesus.
We are called to follow. This means accepting His leading, following His example, footsteps and mentorship, and going wherever He goes, facing the challenges He faces, enjoying the things He enjoys. In following Him is safety and life. We trust that He is not misleading us. He asks us to learn from Him. This can only happen with keen following.
One is called to first consider what it takes to follow; denying oneself, taking up the cross and a daily walk (Luke 9:23). But the promise is clear, that He will be with us all the way through the valley of the shadows of death, and the mountain top experience of joy, peace, provision and comfort. His voice still comes to each one of us saying, ‘Follow me.’ And when you decide to follow, do not look back. He has no pleasure in those who turn back.
John 10:3-4 “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him; the sheep hear his voice as he calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. When he has brought them out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.”
Shalom children of God.