"Follow Me"

Jesus calls each of us to be His disciple. He invites us by saying "Follow me"

In Mark 10:17-31 the Lord really showed me my options, because the Lord continues to invite me to follow Him. He says- I'm going to lead you this way now, follow me. Each day- each moment- I have a choice. In this passage in Mark, the Lord reminded me of what each choice leads to. 

The rich young man comes to Jesus asking what he must do the inherit eternal life, Jesus invites him to let go of- to abandon- everything and follow Him. The young man decides that it's not worth it, I imagine he thinks something along the lines of- I will continue to try to make it on my own. I don't trust this good teacher enough to abandon everything and follow him. He walks away from Jesus sad because he is not willing to let go of the things that he possesses, because he values being in control more than being close to Jesus.

Jesus' disciples though- as Peter says- they gave up everything and followed Him. When Jesus invited them to abandon their nets and follow him- they did. (Mark 1:18). Jesus reminds me that all I need in order to inherit eternal life is God. He asks me to abandon everything and follow Him. Trust Him. Abandon my plans, wants, desires-everything- to follow Him. He assures me though, "There is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mother and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." Jesus says- you can trust me. He reminds me that He wants what is best for me. That it is only when I totally abandon myself to His will that I actually have the ability to choose what is best, rather than what I want- rather than what is easiest or most comfortable. 

In following Jesus, we gain everything and we don't actually lose anything- except control.