As He was passing along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother.  They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fisherman.  “Follow Me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people!”  Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 

Mark 1:16-18, HCSB

While reading this verse many times last week, I always stopped to ponder it.  I couldn’t help myself.  “Okay,” I’d say to myself.  Jesus called, they immediately dropped their nets and followed Him. They did what??  Dropped their nets and followed Him?  Immediately?  Wow!

Photo credit: fjm.org

What a picture of surrender.  True surrender.  Hearing Jesus call you and immediately giving up your livelihood (possibly all you’ve ever done in your life) to follow Him?  There is no indication (in this passage) that they knew Jesus or even who He was.  They were engaged in their daily activity.  Earning a living and Jesus calls and they walked away from it all to train under Jesus to ‘fish for people’.  What did that mean?  Jesus was calling them to cut ties with what they knew and who they knew to be a part of something new.  To trust Him and His message.  The message of Good News.

Think about it, Jesus beckons us everyday to lay aside the old way of thinking.  To lay aside things that strap us down and sap our strength, things that have our undivided attention to be an active participant in what He’s doing.  The fishermen immediately dropped their nets and follow Him.  He didn’t have to convince them or beg them to get in the game.  He didn’t ask for a one hour a week commitment. He called them to a total commitment.  He would teach them all they needed to know. They were called to a new way of life.  A new focus. He would teach them to cast the net wide and bring in the lost, the desperate, the hopeless and the helpless.  They gave their lives to this call.

He’s calling.  Will you lay down what’s in your hand that keeps you from hearing His voice and immediately answering the call to follow Him?  Lay it down and Follow the Leader.  Follow Jesus.

First Look:

+Read Mark 1.

+Note the responses to Jesus’ call to “become fishers of men”.

Through The Looking Glass:

Reflect: What is in your hands that keep you from totally surrendering to Jesus call to follow Him wholeheartedly?  What are your fears?  Your doubts?  Are you ready to surrender?  Tell Him with open hands of your desire to fully enter in to what He’s called you to do.