Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
In Mark 1:16-20, we see Jesus call four fishermen to follow him: Simon, Andrew, James, and John. It says of Simon and Andrew when Jesus called them, “at once they left their nets,” and of James and John “without delay” as they left their boat and their father. None of these four men knew what their lives would look like with Jesus, but their answer was an immediate “yes.”
How often do we get so stuck in questioning and rationalizing when we feel God calling us to something that we never actually move on it? This is not me saying that we shouldn’t earnestly pray, seek Godly counsel, or search Scripture when we feel God is calling us to something. We absolutely should! But it shouldn’t be our excuse or procrastination just because we’re scared of what God may be calling us to.
I once read that we should determine our answer to God’s call to be “yes” before we even know the question. Again, we should seek out whether these calls are actually from God so that we don’t just follow every whim that comes up, but once we are certain it is from Him, let us be determined to say “yes.” Kyle and I have followed a lot of huge calls of faith in our lives together, ones that often seemed absolutely crazy. But we learned a long time ago that our answer must be “yes” when God calls us. That “no” is just not an option - because who are we to say “no” to the One who gave His life for us?
The rest of chapters 1-2 are full of Jesus’ miracles as well as His teachings that prove who He is. The disciples got to witness these things up close and personal; what an incredible experience to see such huge miracles firsthand! It grew their faith in this man they had abandoned their lives to. They witnessed things they may never have seen personally otherwise. When I started my business 5 ½ years ago, as I prayed about it, God spoke very clearly to me this phrase: “I’ll never know what God can do if I don’t give Him the chance.” I was terrified of leaving my job of certainty to start a business from scratch, but that word that I knew was from Him was all I needed. I didn’t want to miss what He may have for me because I chose to stay in my boat.
That phrase has been life-changing for me ever since—in that decision and many others, as I felt Him leading me to something. From that point forward, I decided to say “yes” before I knew what He may ask of me. And let me tell you, I have experienced God doing incredible things with every “yes” to His call. There have been so many miracles and answered prayers, relationships I never would have formed otherwise, and things I would have missed if I hadn’t followed Him.
What if those four men had decided to stay in their boats, catching fish day in and day out? They would have just had to hear of Jesus’ miracles and teachings secondhand. Instead, they got a front-row seat to Jesus’ power and miracles, to grow their faith as they followed Him and watched Him work. He will grow our faith as we follow Him, too.
When God calls, don’t miss out on what He wants to do in your life. Just say “yes.”
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
- SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
- OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
- APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
- PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.
The Way of Jesus: 7 Marks of Discipleship
As we begin a new series, we encourage you to lean into the 7 Marks of Discipleship each week. The 7 Marks of Discipleship provide a simple tool to help us identify areas where we are thriving in our calling and where we can grow. Check here each week for a new 7 Marks Challenge that will encourage you to follow Jesus closer every day.
