Warriors Arise: September 15, 2023
Matthew 4:18-21 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,
I fully believe in sitting before the Lord and listening for His direction; however, I also want to point out, there are times when God is also going to call to you while you are working. Jesus called to Peter and Andrew who were casting their nets into the sea, while they were working. They were not done for the day nor were they shoving their boat back into the water for another night of fishing. They were out in their boat, throwing their net out into the sea and Jesus called to them to come follow Him.
While they were very busy, working diligently at their job, the Lord came and spoke to them. He comes to us this same way. During the busiest time of day, He can call to you. Fishing was difficult work. In the midst of heaving another cast, they hear Jesus call to them.
Have you heard the Lord call to you while you were working?
How did you respond?
Did you find a quiet spot to listen further?
Did you stop what you were doing and just listen right where you were?
Did you brush Him off, thinking He must be talking to someone else who has time to stop and listen?
Jesus walks a little further. He calls to two more fisherman who were mending their nets. James and John are most likely finishing their day of fishing. They are repairing their nets. This is not something they would leave until the next morning. It is something they would do before going home. They wouldn't leave this task undone. However, when Jesus called, they left their nets and followed Him.
If this were to happen to someone we know or even to us, people just might think we were crazy. What are you doing leaving your work for your father to do? You are the young ones. Your dad should not be left with all th work to do. How irresponsible for Peter and Andrew to abandon a solid job that provided for them to follow this Man. Seriously, can you imagine wht people would say if you stopped doing what you have been doing, trained to do in order to follow Jesus. Can you hear the questions?
How will you support yourself?
What are you going to be doing?
What is your part?
What about you family?
What about the education you have to do what you are doing?
Why are you letting your father do all the work?
It would be very hard to do what Peter and Andrew did. It would be difficult to leave your father stuck with doing everything for the family business, like James and John. It would not be acceptable by most people who know you. Sometimes we are taught more about responsibility to adulting rather than obedience when hearing God. We want everything God calls us to do to fit into a neat little box and not interrupt our regularly scheduled lives. But God doesn't always work that way. He breaks the box and calls to us to be free to follow Him.
Father, I come to You. This really is challenging. If You told me to leave what I am doing and set out with You when I don't have even a blueprint, I might know I would struggle with it. I would have to face the pressure of what others would think and their questions of my decision. I pray I hear clearly and follow wholeheartedly. It may shake me from head to toe but I hope I have the courage to follow You. You are with me. You speak clearly to me. You will prepare me before You even speak the words to follow You. I will be ready. I will know without a doubt it is You leading me. I will follow You in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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