Following God

Following God is both easier and harder than most people believe. And I know that sounds like a contradiction. So please allow me to explain.

Most of us know, in principle, that God is real; that He’s more powerful than anyone or anything on this planet; and that what matters most in life is what He thinks of us – not other people. We know these sort of things instinctively and intellectually; yet when it comes to actual practice, and putting ‘hands’ to our professed beliefs, we find blatant contradictions. Rather than following God, we follow people. Rather than seeking glory which is eternal and invisible, we seek honor, glory and respect right here, right now. Rather than seeking treasures in heaven which are eternal and which no one can take away, we pursue wealth, riches and comforts in this temporal, present life. All of this is part of the human condition which, try as we may, we all seem virtually powerless to escape.

But then there’s Jesus. You see, when we compare ourselves to ourselves, it can all seem a bit hopeless. (2 Corinthians 10:12) As the Bible says, “all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23) If you are looking for a perfect example of faith, love and sincerity outside of Christ, you will be forever disappointed. So let’s shatter that illusion right now, before it grows any further.

The facts are that we can only successfully follow God in this life if we keep our eyes on Jesus. Like the apostle Peter, who was walking on water but started to sink once he took his eyes off Jesus (Matthew 14:29-31), we’ll all fail the moment we stop looking to Christ as the answer to our problems, and start looking to other people. Large churches with large crowds are appealing, because they feed our illusion that greater numbers equals greater truth. But Christ and history have taught us just the opposite.

Others replace faith in people or groups with faith in themselves. Some call this “self-confidence”, though, at its extreme, this too is a lie. And that’s because all that is in us without Christ is not good. As the prophet Jeremiah once said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Self-deception around our own natural goodness is leading as many souls to hell as just about anything else. And so, if we want to avoid such a fate ourselves, we must learn to see through the short-comings and the trap of this sort of thinking too.

So what, then, is the solution? As we alluded to at the beginning, it’s looking to Jesus. In the Bible we hear Jesus say, “if I be lifted up, then I will draw all men to Me.” (John 12:32) It’s so easy for us to lift up ourselves, our churches, groups, and denominations, instead of simply lifting up the One who can save our souls. We think that all these more convenient alternatives can give us what we’re looking for, when the truth is that we will only find satisfaction by following the One God has commanded us to listen to. And that One is Jesus.

Well, that’s the sermon. If we want to follow God, listen to Jesus. Not ourselves, not our church, group, or denominational head; just Jesus. Sit at the Master’s feet, and listen to Him. (Luke 10:42) It may seem like we are getting less ‘done’; but remember, if God didn’t tell us to do it, it’s doubtful that anything we think to do ourselves will accomplish much, either. “Lest the Lord build the house, they that labor labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

Don’t waste your time, and don’t waste your labor. Stop what you’re doing, and make time to listen to Jesus. Nothing we can do with our lives is more important than just that, especially if we want to follow God.