As we think on our story and bring up memories long forgotten, I ask you to consider this. When did you start following Jesus. When was the last time you followed Jesus? How did you take that first step? How did you keep moving when the pace picked up or life started to get in the way?
Taking those steps can be so hard. I think it is human nature to want to hold on to the familiar, to hold on to what we already know, to what we can already see. But Jesus wants us to do more. God wants us to do more. You see taking the step to believe, admit you're a sinner, repent, ask Jesus into your heart, and announce your belief and acceptance to others is just a step.
For some this step may come easy and almost naturally. For others the step may be harder to take. Events in our lives tend to affect the choices we make and how easy it is to let go, to believe.
And then on top of it all we must then learn to FOLLOW HIM. Our journey did not stop once we were baptized or once we proclaimed our faith in front of others. In fact the journey with God is only just beginning. Sure we can reflect on our life and see where God played a role in our life up to the point we accepted His Son as our Savior, but our ultimate journey with God is just beginning when we let him into our life. Until then we are still seeking, knowing that maybe something isn't quite right, knowing that we aren't quite whole just yet.
This acceptance in only part of what we are called to do. Then we must begin our steps on our journey to FOLLOW HIM.
For each of us the journeys may be similar, but they are also quite different. For some we are going to walk miles and miles and miles in our journey sometimes following, sometimes losing the path, and sometimes sitting life out. For others we may only make it past the first few steps. And still others we may walk the straight and narrow because it is the only thing we know how to do....believing with a blind faith that no matter what God's got this, we just have to trust and follow.
And you know what? God already knows that about us. You see just like our own children who are unique, God made all his children (us) unique. As I think about my brother and me or about my own three children, I can see such unique characteristics.
For the most part, especially the school part, I was always the rule follower and high achiever. I was scared to death to make anything less than an A and I couldn't get my nose out of the books. My brother on the other hand...wellllllll. I can't speak for what he thought, but given his experiences I can say that he didn't always follow the rules and there were times when my parents celebrated a C. And books....those weren't quite his thing unless you count Jurassic Park. Now that he read cover to cover if I recall correctly. Our parents knew we were quite different and that we each required a different path to get to the same destination.
My own kids. Well, they are so unique. Bradley is laid back and intuitive. He will work hard if expected, buy will gladly find a short cut if there is one. He especially likes to do this with writing. He will tell a great story and then when he goes to write it, he shortens it to the fewest number of words he can get away with. When you ask him why his written story changed he will tell you that it was much faster to do it that way.
Tori....ahhhhh...Tori. My sweet Tori is my artistic spirit who wants to please others and wears her heart on her sleeve. Once she trusts you, you can not get her to be quiet. Oh and everything is always someone else's fault.
And then there is Aubrey. Aubrey is certainly teaching us quite a few things. She not only has a mind of her own, but she speaks it too. Aubrey has no fear.
One thing all my children do have in common is there strong sense of being independent. They can "do it by their self'."
Parenting each child takes knowing each of them and how each will respond and learn best.
Our Heavenly Father is no different. He knows that each of us require different things and we are all at different places in our journey and need to be taking different steps. He knows that some of us need a more gentle hand and others of us need a firm hand. Some of us will hear him calling when he whispers and still others of us need him to yell at us quite a few times before we even begin to hear him, let alone to listen to him. So what about you. What did it take for you to believe? What did it take for you to start following? What will it take to keep you on the path and to keep taking those steps?
Let us pray,
God, I thank you for these opportunities. I do not know all there is to know. You know I have so much to learn, but God, I am trying to take those next steps, to follow you where you are leading me versus trying to walk my own path. I ask for your continued guidance and support on this journey. With you I believe all things are possible and I thank you for that. I thank you for being a Heavenly Father that knows each and every one of his children and will give each of us just what we need when we need it. Amen.
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