With God Before Us

What does it mean to follow Jesus? We could study and talk and discuss the depth of that

question our whole lives. We can make it complicated- or we can keep it simple- to follow Jesus

simply means to keep Jesus before us- to have our eyes on him- to know where he is- and keep

everyone’s life where you dream of having a certain job, meet that certain someone, achieve

goals-have children. And then there are those time that you find yourself praying to God with all

your heart for a healing of a loved one or yourself, being free from debt, seeking comfort in the

midst of a loss-forgiveness for a wrong done, peace in times of chaos- and you wonder how you

will ever find the way to get through it.

We need a guide- someone who has been there before- someone who not only knows the way,

but is the way. We need to trust and follow Jesus- and if we do that- everything will be okay- no

matter what happens.

The Psalmist wrote: “I have set the Lord always before me; because God is at my right hand, I

shall not be shaken.”

Jesus who Jesus himself called “the rock” told Jesus that he would never deny him or fall away”

yet he denied knowing Jesus not once, but three times only a few hours later.

Some people decide in a moment of emotion to follow Jesus, only to have their enthusiasm fade

when the “urgent” things of life come. “Follow me” Jesus said to one. “let me bury my father

first- and then I will follow you.” the man said. Sounds like a reasonable request doesn’t it?- and

yet Jesus told him to let the dead bury the dead! Why would He say such a thing? I think he was

saying: “if you are going to follow me- start now- not later.” He knew there would always be

some excuse- some “thing” that might be considered more important at the moment- that –if

allowed- would prevent us from following Him.

Others did not receive Jesus-because “his face was set toward Jerusalem.” They knew that meant

trouble- and wanted no part of that. They at least understood in part what following Jesus meant

-and fear prevented them from following Jesus.

One day, God told the prophet Elijah to anoint Elisha to be prophet. And so Elijah went- and

found Elisha at work- plowing a field with oxen. Without saying a word, Elijah threw his mantle

over him and immediately Elisha understood it to be God calling him- claiming his life to be his

exact place he was called, slayed his oxen there in the furrow, and cooked the meat on a fire

called to do and his timing is always perfect. With God before us- leading us- why would we

doubt? Why would we turn and go our own way? Because that is our sinful nature. We just

confessed that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves- but the good news is- if we

confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all

unrighteousness. Through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, Jesus has set us free from the

power of sin to control us.

And yet, the sad thing is, we still do not always live in that truth, but return to bondage. “Like a

dog returns to his vomit, so fools repeat their folly” the proverb puts it. It is just too easy to slip

back into old habits-even while knowing it is wrong and a sin.

You can almost hear the frustration in Paul’s voice as he wrote to the church at Galatia- “for

freedom Christ has set us free!” Christ has not set us free for us to go back to our old sinful

journey became difficult, they began to grumble and think they were better off as slaves in

Egypt. And we wonder why- how could they?

But are we any better? We are often blind to our own faults.

Some who have spent years in prison don’t know how to live on the outside. They have become

institutionalized. Even though they had dreamed of being free, they have gotten used to being in

prison- and although the physical chains were gone, inside, they are still prisoners.

I understand that in India, trainers often chain elephants when they are young to a stake. At first

they fight it-trying to get free- until they give up and submit to the chains. Years later when they

have grown into a strong adult, they can still be held captive by a small stake in the ground-

God has set us free from the power of sin. It is an amazing gift. What you do with your freedom

will affect not only yourself, but everyone around you. But that freedom is not a ticket to do

long? Perhaps there is someone you need to forgive- someone you need to share a word of

that is what we have been set free to do. In fact, it is impossible to do on our own strength- but

we have been given a promise- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

May we live our lives with the same confession of faith the Psalmist spoke of when he said: “I

have set the Lord always before me; because God is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

Amen. Go in peace and serve the Lord.