Follow Me

 

If I ask you for directions,  please dispense with words like east and west. I do better with landmarks. And don’t tell me I can’t miss it, because my brain hears that as a challenge and says, “try me.” The advent of GPS and programs like Waze have improved my quality of life. And I’ve learned it’s best not to argue with Siri.  But the nicest thing you can say to me when I’m frazzled and lost is “Follow me. I’ll take you there.”

And that is what Jesus does. 

He doesn’t leave us vague directions that can lead us in circles. Instead, He tells us, “Follow me. I am the way.” We often hear people describe the Christian faith by saying, “It’s not a religion. It’s a relationship.” But what exactly does that mean?

Jesus wasn’t a reckless rebel who disdained the laws of God. He tells us in Matthew that His goal is not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill the Law. From the first prohibition in the garden – “Leave that fruit alone” – to the 613 laws that make up the Torah, the scriptures tell us how to live and how not to live.

Where are the loopholes?

And because we have our own agenda, humans have always tried to find loopholes. The Serpent didn’t begin his temptation of Eve with a full-on offer of the forbidden fruit. Instead, he begins by making her question both God’s word and His motives. “Did God really tell you can’t eat any fruit in the garden?” And then, “God doesn’t have your best interest in mind. He’s keeping the good stuff for Himself.”

And sure enough, she decided that the one fruit she was not to eat was the only one she wanted. It looked luscious.  And best of all, it would open the secrets of the universe. Except it didn’t.

Generations in the wrong direction.

From their Egyptian sojourn all the way through the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, God’s chosen people struggled with idolatry, specifically Baal and Asherah worship. During captivity, something clicked and they realized that trusting Baal instead of God had gotten them into this predicament. With the help of leaders like Nehemiah and Ezra, they embraced their identity as God’s people and eradicated idolatry.

Changed allegiance. Still the wrong path. 

They focused on the externals of the law and followed them as closely as possible. The Pharisees, their most devout sect, tithed on every plant in their gardens. They prescribed elaborate washing ceremonies to make sure their hands were clean enough to eat. Even though the Torah only specifies one fast, they fasted twice a week.

Did God really say that? 

Their scribes imagined every scenario in codifying how Sabbath was to be kept. Indeed, they did more than the law required in every single aspect. But they didn’t understand the heart of the law. Or specifically, they didn’t understand the heart of the lawgiver.

Nowhere is this more evident than their ongoing feud with Jesus about healing on the Sabbath. In their eyes, the end result didn’t matter if their rules weren’t followed. The Law itself prohibited working on the Sabbath, kindling a fire and harvesting crops. It doesn’t say anything about healing. God expected them to plan, to gather what they needed for Sabbath ahead of time so they could enjoy rest and worship. They were allowed to rescue an animal in distress, or to circumcise an infant if the eighth day of his life fell on Sabbath. Sabbath was a gift, a promise of rest to a group of people newly released from bondage. Rest. A marvelous gift. 

Follow Me, not your tradition.

When Jesus told a formerly lame man to carry his mat or sent a blind man to wash clay from his eyes, the Pharisees saw it as an affront to God’s law. They didn’t understand that the Law was meant for their benefit, and humans were more important than scrolls.

Motives matter. A lot. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, He explained a Kingdom mindset.

• Guard your hearts.
• Murder comes from hatred and anger, so forgive.
• Lust precedes adultery. So, stop with the first look.
• Give because there’s a need, not because there’s an audience.

Whether He was mediating disputes about greatness or wading into a sea of desperate people seeking help, Jesus showed His followers how to live. And how to die.  

 

He still says “Follow me”

Fast-forward to the twenty-first century. We still don’t get it, do we? Some of us believe that following Jesus is just about keeping a set of rules or attending church.

I think legalism is attractive because we like to check boxes. If I’m reading the Bible for x minutes a day, showing up at church  and putting some money in the plate, I should be ok, right? None of those things are wrong. But they don’t get to the heart of the matter which is following Jesus. He wants our heart, not just our obedience.

 

KJV, or NASB, or NLT or …?

A couple of weeks ago, a friend who is new to Bible study asked me to go with her to find a study Bible. That should be a simple task, but there are so many options. First you must choose your translation. YouVersion, one of the most popular Bible apps, has 67 options for the English language. There are probably more, but that’s enough to send me down a digital rabbit hole from which I might never emerge.

A quick sidenote, there are still over a billion people who don’t have access to even one translation in their heart language. Maybe we have enough for now?

But choosing the  translation is just the beginning. We can choose from Chronological Bibles, Archeological Bibles, Inductive Study Bibles , Bibles with notes from celebrity pastors, and . journaling Bibles. My mind balks at the options. 

Follow the author, not the book. 

But Jesus didn’t call us to endless study. He called us to follow Him. Bible is important, but studying for study’s sake is pointless. If I’m only reading my Bible to impress someone with my spiritual superiority, I’m not following Jesus. 

Being an authentic follower of Jesus means letting His words seep into my heart and come out in my actions. He wants relationship, not just orthodoxy.

A couple of weeks ago, I took my Bible and journal to a shady place in my yard and turned on Lectio 365. This is an app developed by the 24-7 Prayer Ministry based on the ancient practice of lectio divina. It involves reading through a passage of scripture multiple times, listening to God’s word in the moment.

My four  legged Bible teacher? 

When I finished, I looked down to find Bernie, my dachshund, lying quietly at my feet. He’s an active boy, and much of our time together is spent walking, practicing scent work and training. But in this moment, he was quiet, a 15-pound sentinel, content to  be with me. And I felt a familiar nudge as Holy Spirit beckoned me to listen and learn.

Just as Bernie was content being with me, I had been content to be with God the past few minutes. I often come with an agenda and burgeoning prayer list. But this day I just sat in God’s presence, immersed myself in Him. I trusted Him to know what was on my heart, and was still. 

Bernie didn’t seem concerned about all the items on his doggie agenda. He was content with me, his person. There was plenty of time to chase the rabbits and find that pesky mole. How much more should I be satisfied with the presence of my creator? 

“Follow Me” Better than a roadmap

“Follow me.” Music to my ears when I’m lost.  I stay close. I don’t want to let anything get between me and my benefactor. No matter how circuitous the route they choose, I stay on their heels because I trust that they know where they’re going. And I don’t.
 
The Westminster Catechism says the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

When Jesus says follow me, He invites me to come close, to sit at His feet. When I read scripture, He breathes life and purpose into the words on the page. And when He moves along the path, I can stay close, walking at the same pace, headed in the same direction.  I can begin enjoying Him now, not just in eternity.