“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23………
One day my friend was going to stay where she had already driven that morning to avoid having to drive there a second time later that day as she would need to do. That way, she could avoid the same long drive, the same yucky traffic, and all the driving time she would need to make two trips in one day to the same place. But when I called her that morning to talk, she was already driving home. Why was she driving home? Why did she change plans? The reason was very simple. Plain and clear.
“I believe I’m supposed to go home,” she essentially told me. “I don’t know why.”
Sure, it could have been one thing. Or it could have been another. And she could have tried to guess. And maybe she did. Guess, that is. But what really mattered in all this? It appeared the Lord was leading her to go back home, and though she didn’t know the reason, instead of hemming and hawing, instead of debating, and reasoning, and trying to figure it all out, or resisting the sense she had, she simply placed her keys in the ignition of her car, put her foot on the gas pedal, and began the drive home. To go where she believed she was being led. For whatever reason she was being led. Because she was being led.
Some of us, friend, need to start learning how to put the key in the ignition and put our feet on the gas pedal. No, I’m not talking about driving a car. I’m talking about learning to be led by the Spirit of God, and learning when we sense His leading, to follow Him where He is leading us, even when we don’t understand why He’s leading us to where, or to whom, He’s leading us. Without resistance. Without arguing. Without rebelling. Without endless questioning. Or questioning at all. Without debate. Why?
Because Jesus Christ is Lord, and when we turn away from a lifestyle of sin and turn to Christ as Lord, placing our faith in Him, believing He died on the cross for us and was raised from the dead, entrusting our lives to Him, being forgiven and given everlasting life, a forever relationship with God through Christ with our lives genuinely now devoted to God and His ways, we need to understand this. Our lives now belong to God, and His Spirit lives inside His followers, and we must humbly yield ourselves to Him daily, by the hour, by the moment, by the very breath, being willing to go where He sends us, and to whom He sends us, to say and do what He desires, not for ourselves, though most assuredly we may be blessed in the process, and certainly blessed by drawing closer to Him when we obey Him, but most of all for Him, for His honor, for His praise, for His most magnificent glory!
I am learning day by day to spend time with the Lord, to study His Word, to live by His Word, to draw ever closer to Him, and Him to me, to learn to trust Him moment by moment, to seek Him, to hear Him, and, yes, friend, to follow Him – wherever He leads me, without needing to know why, but simply understanding that because He is Lord, and I am His, when He leads me, I need to place my keys in the ignition, put my foot on the gas pedal, and go forth – following my beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s Spirit leads me forth.
I can’t tell you how many times through the years the Lord has done indescribably wonderful and powerful things in my heart, in my life, and through my life and ministry work when I have gone where He has sent me even without understanding, even without knowing in advance all and something anything at all He has planned.
When we sense the Spirit of God leading us, friend, we need to get going. And follow Jesus. For those who truly believe in Jesus Christ as Lord have a responsibility above all else.
To love the Lord with all our hearts, to love others, and to follow Jesus wherever the Spirit of God leads us.
Follow Him, friend. Follow the Lord!