Knowing Jesus and Following Him
Matthew 4:12-23
It must have been really hard, Lord, for Peter and Andrew, James and John to get up, leave their stuff behind, and follow you. I say that because I know how hard it would be for me to do that. But, Lord Jesus, why do I say “how hard it would be”? I should have said that I know how hard it IS for me to do that, because I know that every day, even every moment, I have the opportunity to recommit myself to you by denying myself and surrendering to you. Most of the time, I have to confess, I just look the other way and go on about my own business, as if you weren’t even there.
When you, Holy Spirit, help me to understand this passage of Scripture, I begin to see that Peter and the rest didn’t leave everything and follow Jesus because they were strong or courageous. They didn’t drop everything and follow Jesus because of who they were but because of who he is. They saw something in Jesus – something powerful and glorious and very, very good, something that they wouldn’t really understand for a long time after this – that just drew them right out of themselves and into a life of discipleship to Jesus.
Shine the light of Jesus into my life, so that I can see what they saw. Enable me by that light to recognize Jesus as he really is, powerful, glorious, and very, very good. Grant that when I see that about Jesus, I might be pulled right out of myself and into a life of complete surrender in discipleship to Jesus, my Lord and my God. [John 20:28] Amen.
© Gary A. Chorpenning 2026
Related posts:
Pastor Note #48 — Living in Time, Living with God, Part 4: Obedience–Faith in the Present Tense
Pastor Note #140: Getting My Bearings in These Times, A Beginning
Pastor Note #103: Loving Like Crazy Jesus Followers
Bible Note #61: Zacchaeus #5–Why Would Such a Man Want to See Jesus?
Pastor Note #138: The Way of Jesus: Selfless Service OR Coercion and Domination?
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