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Matthew 4:21-22
Jesus has called Simon-Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-20). He then calls James and John as they were working with their father, “mending their nets” (Matthew 4:21, NKJV), which indicates that they too were fishermen, as was Simon-Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4:18). The reaction of James and John is recorded in Matthew 4:22, “and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”
This is the importance of our reaction to God when He calls us to follow Him – He gives us two examples back-to-back so that we do not miss this important event in our lives!
Once again, the reaction is that of the desire of God for each of us when He calls us to follow Him. James and John, as was the same with Simon-Peter and Andrew, immediately they left what they were doing and began following Jesus – at that moment their lives were changed.
God may not be calling you to leave your career to follow Him. He may be calling you to be a witness for Him in spreading the gospel right where you are. God’s plan for each of us is different – designed for the personal purpose that He has for each of us. I don’t know where God is leading/calling you, but I know that if you spend quality time in prayer each day talking with Him – asking Him of what it is that He would have of you, and spend time studying His word to learn of how He desires you to live in this world, He will lead you and open the doors that He desires you to go through. It takes patience, and it takes confidence in Jesus to take the action needed to be who He would have you to be – in Christ. But we cannot know where God is leading us if we do not open our hearts to Him and first repent/turn from the way we are living and begin seeking His will for our lives – immediately, as did His first called disciples.
Dear LORD,
Please help us to understand that when we make a commitment to You by opening our hearts to Jesus and accepting the forgiveness that only He can offer, we are making a life-change that is not something that we gradually do or don’t do; it is an immediate indwelling of Your Holy Spirit that only comes through sincere dedication of our faith in You. It is the moment at which we no longer question if Jesus is our Savior or not, but the moment that we know that He is, and we make a commitment to following Him, that the light of Christ Jesus may shine through our lives and bring glory to You. Please help us to accept Your calling on our lives immediately and begin seeking Your will for our lives as we leave our old self behind and live for Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, amen.