Hunger for God: Immediate Obedience
“Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”—Matthew 4:20
How do you respond when Jesus speaks to you? If it's not immediate obedience, then it's disobedience. When Jesus speaks, we need to listen. Just as Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well,
“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water”—John 4:10.She didn’t truly understand who Jesus was and is. If she did, then she wouldn’t hesitate to ask Him for a drink. In the same way, the disciples had an inkling who Jesus was, so when He called, they responded—immediately.
They didn’t wait around trying to decipher if it was best for them. They didn’t wait to consult anyone; they responded as soon as they heard. So many times we try and plug our ears to God’s voice. We don’t want to do something for Him that might be seen as too radical, too religious, or too holy. We are, in our hearts, like some of the believers during Jesus' day who “loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God”—John 12:43. Instead, we must be like Peter who said, “We must obey God rather than men”—Acts 5:29.
The disciples left their nets and followed Him immediately. They left behind their old way of life, their occupation, and everything they knew to follow Jesus. They knew who He was, even though they didn’t understand everything about Him or exactly what He was calling them to—but whatever it was, they wanted it.
Is God calling you to Himself, beloved? Is He calling you to receive Him as Savior? Or is He calling you to the deeper life with Him? Is He calling you to leave behind your nets? Are you ready to listen and obey? Amen.
There is an interesting documentary just out on this exact subject.
ReplyDeleteIt's called: The Voice
https://vimeo.com/38387694
What do you guys think of this guy?
Is he for real?
I think he might be. God speaks to us in a variety of different ways. For most of us He speaks through His Word, our conscience, and sometimes, nature. But there are some, and I think that they are rare, where they actually hear God's voice. Now, don't get me wrong, there are many who claim to "hear" God's voice. Which is why we are to test to see if what they say is from God. But I'm not going to patently claim that all who hear are not actually hearing. God is God, let Him do what seems best to Him! Thanks for reading and sorry for taking so long in responding!
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