Photo: © Iakov Kalinin - Fotolia.com

And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Mark 1:17)

When Jesus spoke these words to Simon and Andrew, He essentially made it clear that it wasn’t His desire to conform His message to their lifestyle, but to instruct them to adjust their lives to His message. He didn’t promise them worldly riches, but assured them that their lives would be enriched with power to be useful to God in ways they couldn’t be without following Him. Thus, Jesus taught them that life isn’t about seeking to fulfill selfish pursuits; it’s about making ourselves fully available to God—to be used according to His purposes for us.

When Simon and Andrew were called by Jesus, they didn’t know Him personally, yet they knew enough to realize that He had something they were in desperate need of. Most people would be reluctant to follow someone they knew so little about, but these men didn’t hesitate to go with Jesus. They were willing to walk away from everything in order to be with Him. Nothing was more important to them at that moment than to obey Jesus’ voice. Hence, they followed Him “immediately” (v.18).

We must be willing to respond to Jesus in the same way. Nothing should take His place in our lives. Nothing should be regarded as more important than doing what He says. We must cling to Jesus’ words like glue.

How far are you willing to go for Jesus; are you making yourself wholly available to Him? The choices we make reveal how committed we are to doing God’s will. Don’t let anything stand in the way of choosing to follow Jesus!

Post by Chris Esty

+Chris Esty is an Inspirational Writer, Photographer, and the Founder of The Bible Post ministry. Listen to his testimony Here