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God's Call and Our Response

 

Biblical Reference Mark 1:14-20


  •   In what season of life are you right now? What have you been doing?
  • If someone intervenes to you while you are doing something or you are in such a season of your life, would lend your ear and pay attention?

      Read Mark 1:14-20

In the passage that we read, there is a place called Galilee where Jesus went and proclaimed the good news of God, for the time was fulfilled and there is a need to repent and believe in the good news for the Kingdom of God is near.

What do you think are the Galileans doing when Jesus was proclaiming?

The Galileans are doing their daily routine and their lifestyles and livelihoods. For example, fishing. In verse 16 says, “ Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother casting a net into the sea- for they were fishermen.”

What is the relevance of this in our lives?

 

The message of our devotion today is that Jesus has a call to all the people while doing their personal things. And when Jesus calls, there is a need for our response.

What was the call?

In verse 17 says, “And Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you fish for people.”

 Every person matters to God and there is a call for discipleship. A discipleship has something to do with a person's repentance and belief on Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again for one’s salvation.

Three years ago, when I was about to enroll for the second semester of my first year in the College of Nursing, God called me to his ministry.

Florence Nightingale was the founder of Modern Nursing. She heard a call from God to help those wounded soldiers from the war. While I was studying the nursing theory, there was a question in my mind, I asked the Lord, “Am I here for the physical nurturing of people or you are calling me for spiritual nursing?”

During my personal devotion, the answer that I received from God is found in James 4:15 “Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

I believe that it is the will of God for me to become part of his ministry. Besides becoming a full-time deaconess, there is a great call for all those who believe in God for discipleship.

 

What would be the response?

It would be an immediate response of Obedience. And obedience requires self-denial.

In verse 18 says “And immediately they left their nets, and followed him. Verse 19 says “As he went little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.” Verse 20 says, “Immediately he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.”

 Simon, Andrew, James, John, and the like surrendered their lives to Jesus. They left their old lives to follow Jesus, they obey and deny themselves for the sake of the call.

Mark 8:34 “He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Obedience with self-denial can be a challenge for all of us. But we can be sure that it's all worth it to follow Jesus and do God’s will.

Before, I had believed that when I pursue nursing it would be a great help for me to provide for my family. But God made me realize that His will and plan are far greater and better than mine.

I quit nursing and shifted to the deaconess program even though some people said that it was a loss of opportunity. But our Almighty God assured me in Mark 8:35 “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

 

We have nothing to boast about us being here today, but we are to testify on our call for discipleship so that the Good News will be proclaimed and many will come to repentance and believe in Jesus Christ.

And our response to God's call will always be obedience with self-denial.

Let us take up our cross daily and follow Jesus completely.

 

Prayer of Obedience in Psalms

Pslam 119:57-58

57The Lord is my portion;

I promise to keep your word.

58 I implore your favor with all my heart;

be gracious to me according to your promise.

 

 

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