Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Living out Your call

Read | 1 Peter 2:9-12

Which term is a better description of your life as a Christian: believer or Christ-follower? A believer can be intellectually certain about a lot of things without necessarily putting them into practice. But saying “I’m a follower of Jesus Christ” narrows life down to a single path.

How can we follow the path to which God calls you? First, we must trust Him (John 14:1), because we will not follow someone we don’t trust. Trust develops as we abide in Him and discover the beauty of His character, the depth of His love, and the perfection of His plan.

Secondly, to follow means to obey Him (John 14:15). When it comes to obeying God, there are only two responses: I will or I won’t. A true follower of Jesus combines trust with obedience, endeavoring to say “Yes, I will” when it’s difficult, “Yes, I will” when it’s unpopular, and “Yes, I will” even when it may cause heartache or suffering.

Lastly, to follow Jesus means to serve Him. As God’s children, we are not to be observers; we’re to participate actively in the Lord’s work. Spectators sit and watch, but we are called to use our spiritual gifts and serve continually. In the body of Christ, each member is called to do his or her part (1 Cor. 12:27-28).

Jesus trusted His Father totally, obeyed sacrificially (Phil. 2:8), and lived a life of service (Matt. 20:28). We are called to emulate Him. In which of those areas do you need to follow Christ more closely? Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a trusting servant’s heart and an obedient spirit.

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