Daily Devotional for Monday November 1, 1999

Leaving It All Behind

(John 1:35-51)

Leaving it all behind. The calling for several men who followed Jesus during His ministry here on earth is truly motivational for me. Here are men who had careers, families, lives like we all do. Yet when they were given the opportunity to follow Jesus, they made the decision to leave everything behind. The bible doesn't tell us about others who may have been called and chose not to respond. Human nature being what it is, tells me there had to be many like that. How must they have felt years later when they realized who this man Jesus really was, and the opportunity they had and passed up.

Mondays are the start of a new week for most of us. New week of school, work, another week of doing the things we do in our busy day to day lives. What if today, you heard Jesus calling you to walk away from your life as you know it to follow Him. Many who know Christ as Savior want the benefits of that relationship, but don't want to really give up anything. They will put in a few hours a week in church or do work on some special event once in a while, but really never give up their normal daily life. Today, Jesus is calling me and He is calling you to truly surrender and follow Him. It may not mean leaving your job, family, etc. What it has to mean though is to be totally open to what He wants, regardless of what you want. Don't try to follow Him under your terms, but under His terms.

I want to see each of you blessed beyond your wildest imagination, and know the fullness of His peace and joy during this life. That can only happen in a truly surrendered and open relationship where you are open to whatever God has for your life. So many of our problems and circumstances are because instead of following Him, we follow our own hearts and desires. Instead of looking to the Lord for wisdom, we look to our own thoughts. God has a perfect plan for your life, and I pray today that you will be open and willing to follow Him without hesitation or compromise.