Wednesday, December 28, 2022
And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him . Mark 1:16-20
Peter, Andrew, James and John were by vocation fishermen as this was their regular business. The day Jesus came calling they were busy with the ordinary things that kept them in business . . . casting or caring for their nets. It was what they were comfortable with. I doubt they ever dreamed of leaving the family business.
But when Jesus came calling to be the leader of their lives all of a sudden their business was not as important. They dropped and left their nets behind them to follow Jesus. Following Jesus became their avocation that led them out of their comfort zone.
Altering Our Priorities
Peter and Andrew ceased to cast their nets and began following Jesus. James and John not only left their nets but also family ties so as to follow Jesus. He called to them to "come after" and they "went after Him."
If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:26-27
Comfort zones are those places we like to reside in because they offer us the ease of tradition and the easy ordinary means and methods of doing things. We become proficient at casting and caring for the nets of our everyday lives. But just like in the lives of Peter, James, John and Andrew, Jesus comes walking by and calls to us to follow Him to lead us out of the all too familiar comfort zones of our lives. He longs to lead us beyond our own lives. He longs for you and me to follow Him as our Leader.
Can you identify where Jesus has led you that is beyond your traditional worship or service? Maybe there are some places and people He is placing around you that He wishes to use you in a specific way to meet their needs. Possibly, you do not feel comfortable doing that in your own power. Don’t feel alone, neither did the disciples.
There is one common denominator in all of those who followed Jesus; they sacrificed something important in their lives. They altered their priorities. Each of them had to make the decision to leave something and come after Him. Why would it be any different for us?
Scripture to Claim:
And He said to them, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life." Luke 18:29-30
