FOLLOW THE LEADER!
- Key Verse
- And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." (Mark 1:17)
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
Following Jesus daily is an act of obedience and should be our highest priority and deepest joy.
Reflections
The book of Mark gets right to the point. In the first 45 verses, Mark covers Jesus being baptized, being tempted, calling His disciples, getting up early to pray, teaching, and healing. Like Mark, I enjoy the black-and-white facts presented in chronological order (like scrapbooking!). Mark paints a picture of Jesus as a servant and the Son of Man, and He has called you to follow Him!
I love the picture of Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee, coming up to these four fishermen saying, "Hey you, follow me!" And it says they did -- at once! They didn't ask a friend, or check their calendar, or set their email to "out of office"; they followed Him immediately. Wow! What must that have been like? I'm a believer who struggles with control, over-planning, and relying on myself. It's natural for me to wander through life following these well-worn paths of routine, and it goes against everything in me to give control to the Lord on a daily basis.
Last August, my crutch of self-reliance and control fell apart. My marriage was in turmoil, and there was nothing I could do to fix it. For two weeks there was constant community in my life, caring for our children, feeding us, praying for us, and meeting with us, as I did nothing but sit with my wounds exposed and hurting. Each day, I had a choice to "come and follow Me!" as the Lord beckoned.
The great news is that healing and restoration come when we follow Him daily. Jesus says in John 10:10, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." Is there margin in your life to follow Him, or is your life too scheduled? I'm thankful the disciples went immediately and chose to follow the Leader in obedience. What about you?
Discussion Questions
1. What is holding you back from following Jesus fully today?
2. If you were to offer your complete week to the Lord as an offering, what would He see fit to change?
3. With whom in your community can you share these things today so that tomorrow you don't forget?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
MATTHEW 26-MARK 2 (FEBRUARY 6-10)
Read Matthew 26:69-75.
* What happens when Peter is asked if he knows Jesus?
* How many times does he deny knowing Jesus?
* Why do you think Peter denied knowing Jesus?
* What does he say flashes through his mind when he hears the rooster crow? (Check out Matthew 26:31-35)
* Have you ever done something that you said you would never do?
* All of us are capable of making wrong decisions. What can we do to protect ourselves from choosing the way that is "easier" or that keeps others from making fun of us?
* What should we do when we make wrong decisions?
* What does God offer us if we confess our sins? (See 1 John 1:9)
* Did you know that Jesus restores Peter after Peter's denials and uses him to help start and lead the early church? (See John 21:15-19 and Acts 2:14-41)
Activity: Take time to think about places where you might be tempted to deny knowing Jesus or to choose something that you know is wrong because you don't want to be made fun of. Now, as a family, look for a verse that you can memorize that will help you to stand firm and make a decision that will glorify God.
Sarah C
February 8, 2012 09:12 AM
Shannon, I am especially challenged to check my priorities and use of time by question 2: If you were to offer your complete week to the Lord as an offering, what would He see fit to change? Thanks for the thought-provoking devo.
Kristin Prouse
February 9, 2012 06:44 AM
Hey Shannon! Thanks for sharing this morning. This part spoke to me,"Hey you, follow me!" And it says they did -- at once! They didn't ask a friend, or check their calendar, or set their email to "out of office"; they followed Him immediately." Man, how often do I do that? How often do I feel a prompting about something and I look to see when it's convenient to fit that thing in?
Judy Wimberley
February 9, 2012 06:55 AM
Shannon, What a joy to read your devotion this morning. Praising God for your dependence on the Lord and your trusting Him instead of your own understanding. Praying He makes many beautiful scrapbook moments of faith and blessing in your life.
Courtney Vorel
February 9, 2012 08:22 AM
Wow, friend. Thanks for bearing your soul through your devo. I'm very grateful for the way you are obedient to follow Jesus on a daily basis. The way you and Scott have been so intentional about pouring into your girls has encouraged Jason and I and given us a great example to follow. Love you!!
Sue Bohlin
February 9, 2012 08:36 AM
I loved the way you portrayed the gospel of Mark as a scrapbook, Shannon! What an apt analogy! I recently learned that in all probability, the apostles were just teenage boys, which changes the way I imagine the scenes like we read today. What struck me was verse 8: "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Lately I've been meditating on what that means. Our brother C.S. Lewis wrote that when we encounter something hugely and ineffably beautiful like a gorgeous sunset (or, for me, Caribbean blue water), we want to not just behold it as a spectator--we want to be swallowed up in it, to be filled with it, to be united with it, to be saturated in it. We want to be *baptized* in it, especially when we remember that in the Greek, baptism signified dyeing a garment by totally immersing it in a color bath. And that's what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is; the Lord Jesus plunges us into a bath of the Holy Spirit so we can absorb and be saturated with God Himself. He testifies to our spirits that we are the Father's beloved children by adoption, and His love fills the holes in our souls, making us more solid. I keep seeing in people's lives how the most powerful healing agent in the universe is the Father's love, and hanging out in a bath of love is the best way to be transformed!
Paul Rutherford
February 9, 2012 08:43 AM
Question number two is interesting. It's different, and in my case this week convicting. Thanks for your devo.
Tracy Lau
February 9, 2012 08:44 AM
Great devo Shannon. I can relate to the control and self reliance for sure! Thank you for modeling what it looks like to follow Christ even in he midst of turmoil. Your faithfulness has spurred me on!
Jan
February 9, 2012 08:53 AM
Good word, Shannon, thanks for sharing your heart. My job forces me to control a lot of things, but I need to make sure I don't transfer this over to people! And mostly I want to let Him change my heart to want to follow Him and make me become a fisher of men, too. Thanks. Jan
Mark Nicholson
February 9, 2012 10:00 AM
Shannon, your words blessed me this a.m. Your first question has been on my mind a lot since we read Matthew 26:58 last week. Peter, who said he'd never forsake Jesus, "followed at a distance". That's so often where I am, sad to say. Thank you for letting the Lord use your words to remind me that He wants so much more from me. And so much more FOR me. That He wants me to follow Him hand-in-hand through all that He has planned for me, the good stuff AND the tough stuff. On a somewhat unrelated note, fellow Journeyers if you're looking for a good supplement to your reading through Mark, you can check out the 65-part series Todd did on this book several years ago. Link to volume 1 here: http://www.watermark.org/media/series/16/
Blake H
February 9, 2012 11:18 AM
Shannon, thanks for your insight and authentic look into Mark 1. Praying that more of us a Watermark will follow Jesus without hesitation today.