Focus: How Are You Following the Lord?

Text: Mt.26:58

"But Peter followed him afar off…"

Long ago, someone expressed the desire to love God more dearly, know Him more clearly, and follow Him more nearly. That is a powerful prayer and an expression of an intense desire to be more intimate with God. I tell you something, we must do more than just desire or pray for such intimacy with God; we must do all in our power to experience the reality of it in our lives.

How are you following the Lord? Are you following Christ like Peter did? The Scripture says that Peter followed Christ from a distance, and he ended up denying his own Lord, Jesus Christ.

Are you following Christ like John did? John followed Christ very closely. The Scripture says, "And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and WENT IN WITH JESUS into the palace of the high priest" (Jh.18:15). While Peter stayed back with the servants of the high priest, John went in with Jesus Christ. He followed hard on the heels of his Master Jesus Christ. He followed Christ all the way. He was there at the cross and watched as Christ gave up His spirit. He took the mother of Jesus Christ home and cared for her to the end of her earthly life. Indeed, he followed Christ so closely that the other disciples saw him leaning on Christ's bosom. The Scripture says, "Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also LEANED on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?" (Jh.21:20). His fellow disciples depended on him to know who the betrayer of Christ was.

Are you following Christ like Caleb did? The Word of God says, "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me FULLY, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it" (Num.14:24). Caleb FULLY followed the Lord. He faithfully followed the Lord. He trustingly followed the Lord. He confidently followed God, not fearfully. In Josh.14:14, Joshua records that Caleb "WHOLLY followed the LORD God of Israel" (Josh.14:14). Moses testifies, "Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath WHOLLY followed the LORD" (Dt.1:36). Caleb followed God fully and wholly. While the rest of the people died in the wilderness, Joshua and Caleb lived to enjoy the land of milk and honey. Moses says that both of them "lived still" while the rest were dead (Num.14:38). Furthermore, God says to Moses, "Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him" (Num.27:18). For having followed the Lord faithfully, fully and wholly, God commanded Moses to anoint Joshua as the next leader of Israel.

The testimony of the Lord is that "they have WHOLLY followed the LORD" (Num.32:12). They did not follow the Lord half-heartedly, sluggishly, or reluctantly.

Also, God Himself acknowledges that David has "followed me with ALL his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes" (1Kgs.14:8). David was totally into following his God.

Are you following Christ like certain women did? Matthew tells us of certain women who "followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him" (Mt.27:55). 

You can't minister to Christ from afar - from a distance. Ministering to the Lord requires proximity to and intimacy with the Lord.

The psalmist declares, "My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me" (Ps.63:8). Christ Himself says, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (Jh.8:12). The path of following Christ is filled with the light of Christ. His light shines on the path of those who follow in the steps of Christ.

Desire, decide and determine from this moment to love God more dearly, know Him more clearly, and follow Him more closely. Follow the Lord intimately, not distantly. Amen!!!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter