Let Us Follow Jesus

“Follow Me.” This is Jesus’ invitation to every one of His disciples. These words were heard by Peter and Andrew as they were casting their net into the Sea of Galilee; and the Scriptures tell us that they immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:20)

” Follow Me” were the words heard by James and John, two brothers who were casting their nets a few meters away, and again we are told that they immediately left their boat and their father and followed Him. (Matthew 4:21, 22)

” Follow Me,” Jesus told Philip, a man from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, and he brought along his friend Nathanael.

After Jesus gave the man with the palsy the order to arise, take up his bed and go home, the Saviour of the world came across a tax-collector named Levi and in other words told him also to arise when He said to him: ” Follow Me” , and we read that Matthew left all, rose up, and followed Him. (Luke 5:28)

Who was this apparently simple man, without an outstanding formal education, with no home and a doubtful origin, that people would leave everything they had to follow Him? Nobody asked that question. Attracted like a magnet, they followed the carpenter’s son from Nazareth.

Where did He take them? To a mountain beside the Lake of Gennesaret. There He poured His blessings upon them, such blessings that if they looked into their own hearts, they would realize they could not receive them, because they were meant for the meek, the merciful, the pure of heart. Then He gathered them around Himself and ” He gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease” (Matthew 10:1)

” Follow Me.” Do you remember what you were doing when Jesus told you these words? That day, He took you to a mountain above the darkness of the world in which we live, and He poured His blessings upon you. He gathered you into His church and gave you the same power He gave His disciples: power over all kinds of sickness, to cast out demons, etc. Did the disciples make use of that power? We know very well the case of the man who brought his devil-possessed son and the disciples could not heal him because they were discussing who was the greater, instead of seeing how they could grow in faith. Are we using that power today? If we are not, could it be for the same reason?

” Follow Me,” He is still saying today, every day, every moment. ” Follow Me and do not look back.” ” Follow Me and do not look at yourself.” ” Follow Me and do not worry about the way.” ” Remember My promise, -And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” (Matthew 19:29). ” Follow Me without fear.” ” Do not identify yourself with anything you were before, neither with your country, nor with your profession, and even less with your sinful life.” ” Follow Me, I am leading you along a secure way full of surprises.” ” Rest in Me, I am at your side.” ” I am at the steering wheel of your life that like a boat plies the immensity of the ocean. I will quiet down the storms for you.” ” Follow Me in full trust that I have overcome.” ” Do not make plans for yourself, just watch how I lead your life; give Me your will and wait patiently to see what I will do with you.” ” But, follow Me, do not sleep; do not stay motionless, do not allow situations, no matter how hard they are, to paralyze you; walk over the waves, allow Me to work miracles in your life. Trust Me, I want to raise you above this world, to carry you on eagles’ wings to a very high mountain from which you may have a broader view, I want you to reach My stature.”

Let us follow Him, the Light of the world, in full trust, because His promise is, ” He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

FOLLOW ME: