Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Following


As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. Matthew 4:18-25 

I left Boston early yesterday morning and arrived in Helena in the late afternoon. The plane took off from the edge of the vast mysterious Atlantic ocean and the small commuter plane flew into Helena over the breathtaking mountains. Too very different worlds and both, for me, the place to follow and serve. We never do know where we are going to be called, and however grounded we are in some place that we call home, we are drawn to places beyond familiar at all times.
Jesus called his disciples away from everything they know. Lifelong fishermen, who grew up on the edge of the sea, as most of their ancestors did, They went everywhere from there, changed forever by one moment of walking away from the familiar and following. We are invited to follow,  trusting that the blessings we discover will so outweigh the comforts of home.
Today I ask God to help me rejoice in the opportunities ahead. May we follow God's incarnate love into the world, knowing that blessings abound as we move beyond our comfort zones.

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