A Prayer To Hear God's Call And Follow Jesus Without Delay

The Bible is full of stories that challenge us to consider our actions and reactions today. 

Listen to this little seaside story:

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.  When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.  Mark 1:16-20

I’m challenged by a couple of things in this story.  First, in spite of the busyness and challenges of their work, these folks paid attention to what Jesus had to say.  They didn’t ignore him as just someone else passing by.  They paid attention so they could not only hear Him but give what He said reasoned consideration.

How busy and distracted are we by our work, by the demands of this pandemic, but all the noises that are coming across the news networks each day?  It’s so easy to have much of our attention and energy focused there and to miss the important things God is saying to us.  This is not a different season to God even though it feels very different to us. 

God’s first priority has always been to call a people to Himself and then invite them to be in service for Him and with Him in making a positive difference in the world around us.  Sure, the conditions are a bit more challenging with the pandemic, but overall, we would get through these weeks and months in a much more positive way if we could keep the focus where it needs to be – on what God is doing and on what God is calling us to do.

The second thing I see in this little story that challenges me is that “At once” they left their nets and followed Him.  Are we willing, do we dare to ask God what needs leaving behind today in our known world in order to follow Him and prioritize being a “fisher of men?” 

Once again I think God’s agenda so often has taken a back seat to career advancement or the development of our personal plan for our work, our families, our lives.  Planning for retirement or working to pay a mortgage shape so many of the decisions that they make and while they are important considerations, they are not things of the first order.  Simon and Andrew, John and James “at once” left their family business to follow Jesus and make knowing Him and serving with Him the top shaper of their day and their future.

We will be so much happier and blessed if we would do the same.  Let’s pray in that direction today, shall we?

Loving God, You’ve always had a heart that others would know and experience Your love and forgiveness so they could have a life-giving relationship of joy and blessing.  Your heart for us has always been that we would join You in that endeavour.  How sad You must be so often when we live so distracted by other things for such long periods of time. 

Once again today we want to turn away from whatever other things we’ve made first priority in our lives and turn back to hearing Your voice calling out to us to “Follow You.”  What you are asking of each of us is certainly different but there’s no doubt that You will be asking each of us to “leave behind” some things that are known and are even what we think are our security.  Often it’s attitudes and perspective, grudges and resentments, judgments and distracted thoughts about events around us rather than Your heart for the people involved in the events.

Holy Spirit, help us to let go of these things that stir us up in unholy ways.  Help us to lay them down as You lead us today.  Give us willing hearts to take courageous steps to surrender all that we are to You, trusting that You have our best interests in mind.  We want to become all that You have in mind for us.  We know that it’s more than what we are able to envision today but as we walk with You, we know we can trust You to demonstrate all we need to know and empower us to do all that You purpose for us to do.