March 27

At the Call of Christ

And at once they left their nets and followed Him. — Matt 4:20 BSB

Their fishing nets were probably all they had to make a living, yet when Jesus called, they left everything behind. They cut themselves off from their means of support and, in simple obedience and faith, followed Him. This is how we should respond when Christ calls us. We should obey without hesitation, no matter the sacrifice involved, and we should do it cheerfully for His sake. Even if following Him means leaving behind our means of livelihood, and we’re left uncertain about tomorrow, we shouldn’t hesitate. Christ takes care of those who are faithfully doing His will. He calls for total surrender and wants us to trust Him completely as we follow Him without questioning.

The faith that the gospel calls for is a complete, unreserved commitment of our whole life to Christ and a trust in Him for time and eternity. We shouldn’t worry about what He will do for us or how He will provide for us. There should be no conditions on our obedience and devotion. We must not bargain for an easy path, but instead, give ourselves to Him fully and forever, following Him wherever He leads.

Immediate obedience is also important. Many people delay their duties, but when Christ calls, we should respond right away. We need to get this sense of “immediately” into our lives. Some people obey so slowly and reluctantly that much of the value of their obedience is lost. Christ always desires instant obedience. There is no “tomorrow” with Him, and if we delay, we may miss the opportunity to serve or be absent when He calls again.