Jesus is Calling

Mark 1:16-19(NIV)

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.
¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

This is a beautiful sunrise photograph of fishermen.   It almost. . . almost. . . makes me want to fish.   My husband enjoys fishing.   As a young wife, I tried sitting prettily on a rock with a book in hand, while my husband cast his line into a river. Soon, though, the rock got hard, the bugs bit, and my husband was oblivious to my attempted adoration of his sport.   He was happily in his own world, while I finally understood what men feel while holding their wives' packages and purses at the shopping mall.  

It can be hard to leave what you're doing when Jesus calls.   While I could easily leave a fishing boat, I'd find it a little harder to leave an antiques mall.  Sure, I think, it would be easier to do if it was Jesus in the flesh, but the fishermen from Galilee didn't then know Jesus as the Son of God.  Still, they came without delay.   That's admirable, even stunning, obedience.  I want to be that obedient.    Through His Word, He calls me to come and follow Him.  So I'll drop my purse and packages and follow the One who is my Lord.  My prayer is that I'll do it with joy and without reluctance.

Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Jesus On The Shore - Lost Dogs