March 9

FOLLOWING JESUS

1 John 4:17

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.

We are all aware that the Bible tells us that Jesus is the example that we are to follow. He set the mark and the rest are all trying to live up to that mark. I can understand the feeling of so many who feel that the mark is just too high, there is no way that we can attain that goal. It is as though God put a standard up there that no one can reach so that we would all be failures. This way, God would be totally justified when He withholds His blessing or really lets us have it.

Believe it or not, there are many people who feel just that way. They have the idea that God is doing all that He can so that He can get back at us for being sinners. The truth of the matter is just the opposite. God is doing all that He can so that He can bless us. He wants our lives to be full, filled to the max with all the good things that has to offer.

God not only commands us to be imitators of Christ, but also gives us the ability to do just that. God will never instruct us to do something without giving us the ability to do what He has called us to do. In fact, the Bible says that it is God who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure and will. He has put within each of us His own Spirit who will lead us, empower us and in general, give us the ability to do all that He desires and expects.

Now that we know this, following Jesus is not all that difficult. Jesus’ ministry can be simplified to one word, love. He loved all people and demonstrated it by the way that He gave of Himself to them, by the way that He ministered to them. God has placed within each one of us that same love and ability to demonstrate that love to others. There is only question left to answer now. Will we let Him? We can show God’s love each and every day. There are people all around who need to know that God loves them and you can be the one to show them that love. Make it a point today to show God’s love to all that you meet.