Follow Me by Mayada Naami
“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’
(Luke 9, 57-62, ESV)
Jesus says “Follow Me” 13 times in the Bible. Following Jesus is not limited to passively believing in Him, we are called to follow in His footsteps. He wants us to emulate His example and works through the gift of salvation. By observing through scriptures how He responded to different situations of His life on earth, we can reflect to the world Christlike attributes. Developing Christlike attributes is a lifelong pursuit, a journey that begins when you make the decision to follow Him.
“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
(Luke 9:57 NIV)
Developing and exercising Christlike attributes brings about a real conversion of the heart. A gradual transformation, day-by-day, as you follow His ways; His teachings. Taking the Word and applying it to the world gives us wisdom over any difficult situation. Being in a relationship with Jesus (rather than merely believing in Him), empowers us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12, we are told, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” As followers of Christ, we are given these spiritual gifts to go out in the world to minister to the broken-hearted and help set free those in bondage to the world. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body-whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13, NIV).
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
(Isaiah 61: 1-3 ESV)