Follow Me Here

Every time daddy leaves the rv the kids race to the door to try and go with him. He was trying to step out the other day to go empty all the tanks so we could hit the road. Jubilee saw him getting his shoes on and ran to him begging to go along. He told her he wasn’t leaving, just going to empty the tanks, that it wouldn’t be fun and probably even stinky but she wouldn’t relent. He caved like the sweet daddy he is, waited for her to get her shoes on and took her out with him. She just wanted to be where daddy was, just wanted to be doing what he was doing. She went with no expectations, no agenda.

Rewind to me as a kid. I was about twelve years old and we were visiting my grandparent’s farm. I was moping because my parents had gone into town without me and I was convinced that I was missing out on huge amounts of fun. My grandpa asked if I wanted to go on a drive with him. I put him off, content to sit and pout, assuming he was going out on the dusty country roads to check on crops. I couldn’t imagine that what he had in mind for a drive would be any fun at all. He kept asking and finally I grudgingly got my shoes on and climbed in the car. I was so surprised when he made a right and stopped at the old country store just a mile down the road from the farm. Inside he bought me a Pepsi and a bag of peanuts from the big barrel by the cash register. We spent the next hour or so sitting at a table in the back shelling peanuts and watching an old Ma and Pa Kettle movie.

It’s absolutely one of my favorite memories with him.

I’m so glad that he didn’t stop inviting me when I said no the first time, but I wish he hadn’t had to ask more than once. Like Jubilee with daddy I wish I had just been content to be with him. Happy to go wherever he asked me to go, because he was asking, not because I wanted something from him.

Isaiah 6:8 says “I heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for me?’” I’ve read and quoted and prayed this verse many times. I’m here Lord. I’m available. I’ll do whatever You want me to do. But often when He tries to send me I back up a little bit.

I’ll do whatever you want Lord…and He says, thank you so much for your willingness. Your baby needs rocked.

I just want to serve you God, use me…and He says, hey that’s great! This couple is struggling with their bills and could really use some groceries.

Being sent sounds glamourous. Being sent sounds exciting. And yet when He sends us or asks us to do something that is “less” than what we had in mind we push back. We hesitate or put it off. We ask for a different assignment.

In Luke chapter eight, we find the story of the demon possessed man who was set free by Jesus. He was known for being possessed by demons. He couldn’t be restrained by chains or shackles, nobody could tame him. And then Jesus stepped into the picture. The man was miraculously delivered. After he had been healed and the demons had been sent into the pigs, the man was seen sitting and clothed, back in his right mind. Jesus was leaving and the man went to Him and begged that Jesus would allow him to go along and follow Him. He’d just had a huge, life changing moment, and all he wanted was to follow Jesus wherever He was going.

And what did Jesus do? He said no. He said you follow me here. Go to your home, tell your friends. Tell them what great things he’s done for you. How He has had compassion on you. And the man listened. He took it even a step further. instead of just telling the people in his home or just his friends, scripture says that he proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. He might have been disappointed, the commission he was given may not have been what he had in mind, but he did it. And he did it with everything he had. 

Sometimes that’s what Jesus says to you. You tell Him, I’m here, I’m available, send me. And you may have grand ideas of what that may mean. You might be waiting for Him to open the door to travel the world preaching to thousands of people. You may assume that His idea of sending must be the new job you want, the opportunity you've been waiting for. And Jesus says, you follow me here.

Say yes. Follow Him where He has you, faithfully doing whatever He asks, until He leads you to another place. It may not look exciting. It may not be what you had in mind. But if it’s what His plan is for you, it’s better than any that you have for yourself.

Follow Him here.