Following In Faith
In the Gospel of John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” What an Amazing promise. And all we have to do is follow. But what does following look like?
When you think about following, try to imagine being in a military squad, running along a dimly lit wooded trail. Though it seems as if the soldiers know exactly where they’re going, the fact is that they’re running by faith. Sure the squad may have a general idea regarding a planned route, but obstacles and hazards can suddenly appear making the trek difficult.
During the run, only the leader will have an immediate line of sight because the lead position always provides the best view of what’s ahead. The lead maximizes the opportunity to react first to any obstacles along the route. Consequently, the squad must have faith in the leader and in the subsequent runners ahead to guide them safely.
If the leader decides to turn left, then the whole squad must turn left. If the leader leaps over a deep rut or a log on the ground, then each subsequent member must also leap to avoid injury. If the leader stops then each member will have to stop. And with each aforementioned scenario, hand signals are used and copied by each subsequent squad member until the last runner receives the visual message of warning about the approaching hazard.
But the key to the squad’s run can be found within each member’s unwavering faith in the commands given by the runner directly in front of them. And just like soldiers running in dimly lit woods, men of faith should exhibit the same daily, as they follow the tenets of their faith. In fact, Christian men should have no problems following, because Jesus is the person that we’re running directly behind.
And though it may be full of obstacles and the light on our journey may sometimes seem faint, we cannot lose hope, because Jesus indicated that He’s our light in every dark situation and our hope in every aspect of our being. Thus, we have a guaranteed promise that our leader will help us to navigate the paths of life while developing us into faithful hand signalers for those who follow behind us.
Remember, as you follow Jesus, someone is attempting to follow you. And if you miss a signal or fail to leap when Jesus leaps, somebody behind you may trip and fall into one of life’s deep ruts. Therefore, stay faithful in your following until the journey is over. God Bless you.
Prayer:
Amazing Jesus thank you for bringing your light of direction into a dim world. And thank you for being the leader and head of my life. I know that your presence will always guide me to the right places and away from danger. Please help me to reflect your light and to always be a good leader in the right place at the right time. Amen.
