“As I’m sure you’ll remember,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for our breakfast, “we’ve talked a lot about the three steps of discipleship.”
“How could I forget?” I replied with a smile. “Deny self, take up what God has for me to take up, and follow.”
“That’s it,” Stan said. “Those are the basic three steps, but there’s also a three-step process with the third step I’d like to focus on this morning.”
“A three-step process with the third step? You mean the third step of following?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “It seems to me that with following, there are three different aspects. There’s however, wherever, and whenever, but it looks like it’s only the last one that has a clear-cut answer.”
“A clear-cut answer in what way?” I asked.
“Let’s take a look,” Stan replied. “It seems that with the ‘however’ and ‘wherever’ parts of following, there’s some room for God’s direction. He’s going to show me where and how to go, but with the ‘whenever’ part there’s really only one answer.”
“And what’s that?”
“Always.” Stan replied.
“Always?” I said, “Oh, you mean like that’s what we are to do when God leads, we are to always follow. He might not tell us right away what the ‘however’ and ‘wherever’ parts look like, but the ‘whenever’ is definite.”
“It is,” Stan replied. “The ‘whenever’ is always”.
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Bible verses to consider:
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.
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. Matthew 10:38.
And why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving your only begotten Son as the way to your eternal presence. Thank you for those who brought me to the truth so I could accept your free and gracious provision of life eternally with you beginning at the moment I accepted the truth. I confess that too often I focus on the eternal presence that will occur when my time here is completed, without focusing on the eternal presence that comes from following you on this side of eternity. Please forgive the foolishness of that! And please help me to follow you however, wherever, and whenever you want, knowing that “whenever” is always. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him through the cross of Christ? If no, why? What’s in the way? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with following God on this side of eternity? Do you believe it is to be however, wherever, and whenever He wants to lead, knowing that the “whenever” is always? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 
Tim, I really appreciate the compelling simplicity of this post. It really spoke to me as I meditated on the truth of it. Thanks so much
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