DEVOTIONAL
Let’s read this weeks scripture lesson.
Matthew 4:12-23 NIV
Jesus Begins to Preach
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.
13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—
14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus Heals the Sick
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
This reflection was written by Bishop Reuben P Job and was taken from A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God. Upper Room Books, Nashville, TN. 2003 Pg 81-82.
There was a light drizzle in the air as I walked along a darkening road, hands in my pockets, head down, thinking of a task I was to do and quite oblivious to the world around me. Suddenly a voice called my name. My head came up, I looked around, and there spotted a friend who was driving by and had stopped his car to greet me. We were several thousand miles from my home and a hundred miles from his. I suspect much of my life has been like that, preoccupied with personal issues and oblivious to the voice of God calling to me every day and in every circumstance.
The Bible and saints who have gone before us give ample evidence of God’s consistent call to each of us. The Bible and the saints who have traveled this road before us also make clear the universal nature of God’s call to all humankind. No one is left out, exempted, or overlooked. All are of equal worth and all are called. While we may think of certain vocations as callings, God appears to consider all of life as our calling, and that includes every honorable vocation.
Regularly practicing disciplines of the holy life puts us in a position to hear God’s call clearly. Those disciplines include prayer, fasting, community and personal worship, acts of mercy and compassion, and faithful living.
Hearing is an important step in saying yes to God’s call. But once we hear, we must still decide whether we will go where invited or sent. In other words, hearing may be the easy part of saying yes to God’s call. Once we have heard and counted the cost the most difficult task remains. However, with deep faith in the living God who calls us, the only reasonable response is to say yes. For in our best moments, we know God will ask, only us, to say yes to an invitation that is right and good for us. Listen closely, think deeply, pray fervently, and you will be led to the to the right answer to God’s invitational call. In my experience the right answer is always yes. The good news is that even when I was unable to give the right answer, God has been patient and given me opportunity to grow in faith until I was able to say yes and to claim another part of my inheritance as a child of God.
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
This is the message of the Gospel spoken to us by Jesus. Draw near and enter into the Kingdom of God by hearing Jesus’ call. Hearing is the first step and the continuing essential step because we are invited to walk in a new Kingdom – God’s kingdom. Have FAITH that the same Jesus who called us continues to walk at our side each and every step of the way of our lives. The right answer is always YES when Jesus calls us to follow him.
Blessings
Pastor Tom
