In Matthew 4:18, the first disciples dropped their occupations in the fishing industry when Jesus called them; they all were involved in a highly successful business, and they were doing quite well. But now Jesus was expanding that business in ways that they couldn’t imagine!
Many throughout history have done the same, walking away from jobs of high earnings for the insecurity of pastoring, teaching, becoming a chaplain in a prison, being a monk or a priest or a missionary. Millions of Christians on a regular basis give up practices and attitudes and occupations and jobs to follow, to become part of Jesus portable community in the world. And the only way I can come to grips with this kind of change in people’s lives is Jesus himself: Just as the disciples heard his voice and felt his presence some 2000 years ago, so people still do today, sometimes as a whisper, sometimes as a shout, sometimes as a wakeup call in the night (or morning), sometimes as a low ache that won’t go away, or sometimes dramatically, suddenly, and powerfully.
However it may happen, Jesus has ways of getting through. There is a visible change in behavior, habits, loyalties, priorities.
Now, to be sure, we cannot always know where this change is going to lead us, but we can be sure that Christ will go with us. We can be pretty sure that Peter, James, and John and Andrew had no idea where their lives would end that day on the Sea of Galilee. And we can be pretty sure that we don’t either.
That’s how big the mission of God is! The Holy Spirit blows where it wills! The Spirit nudges us and, hopefully, we hear Christ’s voice, calling us and waking us up to follow him, giving our lives over to him. May it be so!
Pastor Andy Kinsey
Many throughout history have done the same, walking away from jobs of high earnings for the insecurity of pastoring, teaching, becoming a chaplain in a prison, being a monk or a priest or a missionary. Millions of Christians on a regular basis give up practices and attitudes and occupations and jobs to follow, to become part of Jesus portable community in the world. And the only way I can come to grips with this kind of change in people’s lives is Jesus himself: Just as the disciples heard his voice and felt his presence some 2000 years ago, so people still do today, sometimes as a whisper, sometimes as a shout, sometimes as a wakeup call in the night (or morning), sometimes as a low ache that won’t go away, or sometimes dramatically, suddenly, and powerfully.
However it may happen, Jesus has ways of getting through. There is a visible change in behavior, habits, loyalties, priorities.
Now, to be sure, we cannot always know where this change is going to lead us, but we can be sure that Christ will go with us. We can be pretty sure that Peter, James, and John and Andrew had no idea where their lives would end that day on the Sea of Galilee. And we can be pretty sure that we don’t either.
That’s how big the mission of God is! The Holy Spirit blows where it wills! The Spirit nudges us and, hopefully, we hear Christ’s voice, calling us and waking us up to follow him, giving our lives over to him. May it be so!
Pastor Andy Kinsey
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