“I think I told you this before,” Stan commented one morning, “that I’m part of a men’s group at the church.”
“Yeah,” I said, “you have mentioned that. What about it?”
“We’re going to have a weekend retreat next month,” he replied, “with a fabulous speaker who should make a big difference with a lot of the guys.”
“Sounds great.”
“Should be,” Stan said. “I invited one of my neighbors. He’s a fairly new Christian and I know it would be a good time for him if he would be open to listening to all that is presented.”
“Is he going to go?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Stan responded, “but I do know that his first question about it was not a real encouraging sign.”
“How so?”
“He wanted to know where we would be staying,” Stan replied.
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked.
“Maybe nothing,” Stan said, “but he did make it clear that he wasn’t too big on going anywhere that might not be comfortable.”
“And,” he continued, “his attitude reminded me of an incident recorded in Matthew’s gospel where Jesus said something to a fellow who told Jesus he would follow Him wherever He was going to go.”
“That sounds like a good thing,” I said. “How did that work out? What did Jesus say to him?”
“Jesus told him that He had no place to rest His head.”
“No place to rest His head?” I repeated. “Why did He say that?”
“Seems to me what Jesus was saying,” Stan replied, “is that if this fellow was going to follow Jesus, he needed to be prepared to stay wherever might be available even though it might not be too comfortable.”
“So,” I said, “if people are to follow Jesus, where they might be staying is not the important part. Is that it?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “I think that the important part is that if I’m going to be a disciple and follow Jesus, I am to follow Him wherever, however, and whenever He wants to lead without any regard to whether or not there are creature comforts involved.”
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Bible verses to consider:
And a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Matthew 8:19-20.
And as they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Luke 9:57-58.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of life eternally with you through the cross of Jesus. Thank you, too, that you want me to follow Him as a disciple on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I do not follow Him as closely as you want because where, when, and how He wants to lead me may involve some discomfort I am not prepared to accept. Please forgive that foolishness. And please, Father, help me in following every step of your lead so I do follow wherever, however, and whenever you want, knowing that the “whenever” is always. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of the One you want me to follow. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision so you know you will be staying with Him in His eternal home when your time here is completed? If no, why? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with following Jesus on this side of eternity? Are you following Him wherever, however, and whenever He leads without regard to anything other than following Him? If you sense the need for change in your view of following Jesus as a disciple, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 