“Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and
I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19.
In the above verse Jesus commands Simon called Peter and his
brother Andrew to follow him, so that they can be fishers of men. What fascinates
me the most about this passage of scripture is the verse that follows Jesus’s
commands.
“At once they left their nets and
followed him.” Matthew 4:20.
To get a deeper look into this verse let’s examine the scene
that Matthew 4:18-20:
Peter and Andrew had come to the Sea of Galilee with their own
plans and agendas in mind. They had come to fish. The bible says that they were
fisherman; this suggests that fishing was something that they did on a daily basis
or often. This makes me think of the things that I do on a daily basis? What
are those things that define me? I wonder how difficult it may be for me to let
go of the things that I do every day, those hobbies that are a part of my daily
routine. I’m not saying that these hobbies are bad; I’m just posing the question
would I be able to “leave my net” as Peter and Andrew did.
The bible says that Paul
and Andrew left their nets “at once.” It doesn't say that they took time to
ponder if following Jesus was something they really wanted to do. They didn't stop
to wonder about what they were leaving behind, as they put their nets down. They
did not begin to worry about what would happen if they left their old lives
behind to do what Jesus was asking them to do. They did not become fearful or anxious about their future. They did not
think about their own agendas and how they would prefer to fish for fish
instead of men. They did not once stop to question what Jesus had commanded
them to do. The verse simply says “At once they left their nets and followed
him.”
As you think about these verses ask yourself. Is there something
you know Jesus is asking you to do? Did you do like Paul and Andrew and obey
Jesus at once or did you hesitate? Is there something that is holding you back
from following God? What is holding you back?
As I was reading this verse the other day, I asked myself the
same questions. I thought about some of the things that were holding me back
from doing God’s will. Some of these things are probably some of the same
things that hold you back, as well. Fear, insecurities, selfishness, not
wanting to let go of control, stubbornness, and anxieties are all things that
keep us from doing God’s will for our lives. I encourage you to really think
about the things that are keeping you from obeying God. Ask God to help you
recognize and release those things that are keeping you from doing his will.
For the next few blog entries I plan on exploring the things
that keep us from doing God’s will. I will be writing on what the bible says about
those hindrances, and how we can combat against them.
