Our puppy loves to go outside with us.
Whenever I mention to her that we are going
to go out the back, where I typically walk her
down the easement, she perks up and trots
proudly to the back door. More than going out
the back door, however, she really loves going
out the front. When she gets wind that she is
going out front with Stacy or me, she usually
does the old Fred Flintstone move, spinning
her paws on the floor in an attempt to get out
and down the front steps as quickly as
possible. Almost every time she does this, she
goes straight to my vehicle and looks back at
me. She gets very excited about potentially
riding somewhere with me. But she only ever
goes one place when we’re in the car. The
vet. She hates the vet, and she soon
“remembers” that. When she realizes this, her
entire demeanor changes. She thinks she
really wants to go somewhere, but not there.
Anywhere but there.
Following Jesus means exactly this:
following Jesus. We have been saved through
Jesus’s blood, so we have committed to being
his followers, his disciples. This does not
mean that we follow him only when it is in our
interest. Nor does it mean that we follow him
just to the places where we want to go. We
did not sign up to be part-timers. Jesus did not
die so that we might have half-hearted
devotion. His blood did not cleanse us to
facilitate a conditional loyalty. Instead, we
have been called in our salvation to follow him
wherever he goes.
Regardless whether or not we want to do
so. Even if our hearts might say, “Anywhere
but there.” In Christ, we go with Christ.
Wherever he goes.
–Ricky
