Christian! Follow Jesus!

Still in these forty days of convincing proofs, we need to hear again our Lord’s voice, as the Holy Spirit continues to quicken our present lives.

During this week, we have been given to receive from a nineteenth century hymn by C. F. Alexander. Each verse will be used to convict and convince us to responsive actions, which will leave us fully convinced that we are the living answers to these questions.

Three questions have been posed. Will you receive them?

We believe that Jesus Lives! How?

We accept that Jesus lives! Why?

We show that Jesus lives! Where?

The hymn is, Jesus Calls Us O’er The Tumult. Here is the first stanza.

Jesus calls us o’er the tumult

Of our life’s wild, restless sea;

Day by day His sweet voice soundedth,

Saying, “Christian, follow me!”

The first thing that was lit up before my eyes is that Jesus is calling Christians to follow Him. This one really got me. Does it arrest you also, causing you to think some unusual thoughts? One thing for sure is that many of us hold a one-track mind in our understanding, when it comes to Jesus calling. We have been thinking that He only calls non-Christians to become Christians. But here we listen to Jesus calling Christians to follow Him. Aren’t Christians already following Him, I thought? Listen to this new one. Daily, the sweet, convincing voice of Jesus is calling Christians to follow Him.

A setting has been vividly painted for us of the world in which we all live, Christians and non-Christians alike. There are fiercely vivid words such as, tumult, wild and restless. Not one of these projects any kind of peace or peaceful living. The voice of Jesus is calling us, all who are His believers, who follow Him, to do so, over and against these strong forces, which will cause us not to continue following. Our Omniscient Lord, knows what human nature is like and He knows that the tumult of the wild, restless sea of each life can be most drowning.

Doesn’t this bring you back to the parable Jesus tells about those who have received the Word? Listen!

But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received the seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Matthew 13: 20 – 22 NKJV.

Like you, I know this entire parable like the back of my hand, but I was totally hushed when I was told this. Every single one is a Christian here. Is Jesus not speaking of people like you, who have accepted the Word with joy and live the Word for a little time? We are quite good as Christians, believing and following Jesus, the Living Word, made flesh and bones, living with us. But alas! We who have Jesus, the Word, are overtaken by tumult, chaos, worries, cares, greed, the deceitfulness of riches and fears. We are in really grave jeopardy of stumbling, falling away, giving up, and no longer following Jesus as we first did.

Jesus, in His convincingly sweet, strong voice, speaks above the ever enticing voices of the world, to turn us away from truth. Jesus wants us to be His in Spirit and in Truth and He calls us back to following Him.