Like Right Now!

"Oh you mean right now?"  I was standing at the airline counter checking in a group of women for a series of international flights.  The agent had told me some of the tickets were "waitlisted" for one of the legs of our journey.  He seemed calm about it so I thanked him for the information. He looked up at me and repeated, "some of your party are waitlisted."  I then asked what that meant.  He was very matter of fact, "They don't have tickets."   "Ok, what do I do?"  "Call your travel  agent."  Again, I replied "OK."  He repeated the instruction to call my travel agent and the realization came to  me, this must be urgent.  I was slow to understand and respond in this situation. 

In Mark 1: 16-20, Peter, Andrew, James and John were quick to respond to Jesus' call to follow Him and become fishers of men.  They were working their fishing nets when Jesus sees them and invites them to come with Him.  Matthew and Mark describe their decision to follow Jesus as immediate, without delay and at once.  Luke gives a bit more background.  These disciples heard Jesus teach from Simon Peter's boat.  They saw Him provide a huge catch of fish.  When Jesus invited them to "become fishers of men" they left everything and followed Him.  They left jobs and families.  They left security and the known for the unknown.

In a world that teaches us to know everything before we make a decision, I find it intriguing that these men were so quick to make such a life changing decision and follow Jesus.  Have I ever been so quick to follow Jesus?

I thought about these men.  They were hard working.  It sounds like they had to fish all night and part of the morning for their income.  They were loyal.  They worked with their families.

They were open, especially to spiritual matters.  They must have had questions and longings and when they heard Jesus they knew He had the answers.  I doubt they understood the answers Jesus later gave them but they just knew He was  The Way.

I'm learning to be spiritually open in a similar way.  I have access to plenty of facts in the Bible.  I just need to spend time in the Bible learning.  Jesus gave us the Spirit to be our daily companion. To remind us, to guide us, to be Jesus' voice.  I'm learning that when I get the feeling, "this is Jesus", I need to respond without delay, at once, immediately.  I don't need the facts or the why.  I need to follow Jesus.

There is a better way to live than knowing all the information and details.  The better way is to know Jesus, His teachings and His Voice.  I have learned that Jesus loves me and invites  me to the best life.  My choice is to follow immediately, at once, without delay, like right now!