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You Must Follow Me

 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:20-22)

 

My Sunday School class is watching a series of videos about being a disciple generally and a disciple of Jesus specifically. We didn’t discuss this passage, but it came to mind as I was making my salad. The question that is the gorilla in the room is “Am I ready to follow Him?” Are you? The good Sunday School answer is “Of course.  “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17)

But here’s the thing about that amazing and beloved answer that Ruth gave. She knew where Naomi was going. She’d watched Naomi navigate the difficulties of cultural differences for several years. When God asks if I’m ready to follow Him, questions come to mind:

When are we leaving?

Where are we going?

What am I supposed to take with me?

Are we going alone? (Translation - who do I have to figure out how to get along with? Who’s going to either look down on me or get mad at me and want to kick me out of the camp?)

At the very least, what sort of shoes should I wear?

It’s not that I’m unwilling to follow, but…details.

And God’s answer was, “Just One Step.”

I feel like I should burst into song:

I'm only human
I'm just a woman
Help me believe in what I could be
And all that I am
Show me the stairway I have to climb
Lord for my sake
Teach me to take one day at a time

One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from You
Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine
Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time

Do You remember when You walked among men?
Well Jesus You know if You're looking below
It's worse now than then
Cheating and stealing, violence and crime
So for my sake teach me to take one day at a time

One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from You
Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine
Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time

Lord help me today show me the way
One day at a time.(Christy Lane)

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