Leave My Mama? Say What?!

(Photo Credit)

It never ceases to amaze me how much wisdom I glean from God's Word. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't learn or take something new from it. God is truly amazing.

This morning I began the study of Mark chapter 1. Just a few short verses in and I was already back in time and sitting on the banks watching John the Baptist baptize and listen to confessions as he walked through the wilderness. 

I think the thing that excites me the most when it comes to reading my Bible is relating.

Let's be honest. 

Really honest.

People that do God's work and listen to His calling are weird. Really. Weird. 

Take John the Baptist for example. John Mark begins telling us about John the Baptist and his crazy clothing tastes (may there is more to it and I'm just not in the old times fashion "know") and his crazy eating habits (Um. Yuck.). 

John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. - Mark 1:6

This gives me a renewed hope that I can reach souls for the Lord in my yoga pants, mom pony and drinking coffee! 

The next part that stuck out to me the most was when He called the twelve disciples.

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,”Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. - Mark 1: 16-20

Um. Wow! 

Does anyone else read this and just let your eyes bulge?! Now THIS is some amazing blind and complete obedient faith.

Stick with me.

Here you and I are just hanging out by the lake. Casting our nets. Sipping sweet tea we got at McDonald's on the way in to work and waiting on some fish to bite. We are chatting about the weather. Just chilling. All of the sudden a man we don't know who is but many have heard about comes walking up. "Come on guys we are heading out. Come with me and you're going to reel in some people," 

And get this. We JUST FOLLOW.

Then we are strolling along following this guy and we come to some other casters out in their boat and he hollers, "You two. Come on. Let's go." 

And here it is... They GO! They leave everything behind - jobs, families, friends, the town they know, everything and go!

They. Leave. It. All. to follow Jesus.

Here is the big part... NO questions asked.

That's the part that gets me. There is no plan. Jesus does not consult them. He does not call a team huddle or a friendship circle. He just walks ahead and they follow.

Now I don't know about you but I'd need some plans. This control freak would have to have a going away with my friends and family. I'd need to pack. I'd need a map. I'd need an agenda. I'd need some time to process. I'd need to get to know this guy that asked me to leave my mama. I'd need a bit more.

But the faith of these disciples are amazing. They just listened and followed. 

Oh to have a faith like that. Oh to be so secure and trusting in Jesus that I could just drop it all and follow. No questions asked.

Today that is my prayer. To live my life in a place of complete surrender, without question and follow His calling. My prayer is to have a faith that I can say "Lord I drop my comfort zone and I follow you."