Nudges

21Oct
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him;but they did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’
Luke 9:51-62


In this passage, Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem for the last time. He is explaining to his disciples that to follow him is going to require a lot from them—they will have to leave their homes and have a single focus. Jesus knows what is ahead and is trying to prepare them.


Despite the preparation, after Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples seem to have gone right back to doing what they were doing before they took up their nets. For example, in John 21, Jesus finds the disciples fishing and to get their attention, he must help them catch 153 fish. He then tries to three times to gauge Peter’s level of commitment, finally imploring him to “feed my sheep.” Jesus recognizes that he is working with very fallible and waffling human beings. He knows they will need help.


To the best of my knowledge, Jesus never said, “Worship me”, but he pleads with those around him to “follow me”. Sometimes I think it is easier to worship Jesus than to follow him, because following him almost always involves being uncomfortable, leaving home, feeling foolish, going out on a limb. I get nudges to follow Jesus—for me it is a feeling in my gut-- I know what is best for me to do, yet I am resisting because it is hard or might be uncomfortable. The feeling doesn’t go away until I do what it seems I am being asked to do.


How do you think Jesus is asking you to follow him? Is there something you know would be the best or right thing to do, yet you are resisting? Do you know what stops you? Is there something you could do or help you could ask for that would make it possible to follow him? 


Musical Reflection - The Jesus Way - Phil Wickham


Dear Jesus, please help me to recognize your nudges that urge me to follow you. Give me the courage to do the hard thing, to be uncomfortable, to risk something that is important to me. Please remind me that when I follow you all shall be well. Amen.

CompassionWisdomJourney

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