The weatherman is predicting a big snowstorm for parts of WI this mid-week.  Ask people if they have ever been in a blizzard, or a white-out & they will say yes.  But few have experienced real blizzard conditions, or a real white-out.  I have.  On my way to work north of Chicago one day, I couldn’t see anything, not the road, not cars, not anything.  Just white and more white.  Then suddenly I saw taillights about 10 feet ahead.  I was only going about 10 mph, so I just decided to follow the taillights until we got to my highway.  Then suddenly his brake lights came on, & I stopped in the middle of the road.  There was a small break in the wind & snow, and I was able to see that he was deep in the ditch.  When you follow someone, you have to know that they can keep you on the road.  Follow the wrong person, and you won’t ever get where you are going.

Jesus knew that.  And His disciples learned it.

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.   Mark 2:14

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.   And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  And immediately they left their nets and followed him.   And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.   And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.   Mark 1:16-20

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”   John 1:43

Many people followed Jesus for a time.  But when the teachings got hard, the crowd got going...away.

When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.   Luke 9:11

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.   Luke 9:23

We have 2 girls at our house this weekend.  One is almost 4, and the other is almost 2.  The almost-2 watches the almost-4 and wants to do what she does.  If the older one even gets a tissue to blow her nose, the younger one gets one even if she doesn’t need it.  She follows her sister.  That is how we learn.  But if we are following the wrong one, we will be in trouble.

And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.   And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them.   Luke 17:22-23

When life hands you a white-out, and can’t see your way, Jesus promises that He can lead you home.  He is the only One who can.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   John 8:12

To follow Him, need to know Him.  When sheep were watered in Bible times, there might be many shepherds coming to a well at the same time.  Sheep look alike, so it would take too much time to pick out your flock from several hundred sheep.  But when you are the shepherd, your sheep know you.  The shepherd would call out, & his sheep would follow him.  Then he would make sure they were all there before he led them out.

The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.   When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.   A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”   John 10:3-5
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Do you know Jesus?  The more you follow, the closer you are, the more you recognize His voice.  Learn to hear Him & follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd.  Only He can lead you home!

My poor dog hasn't had much exercise lately.  With the temperatures below zero and the wind chills even colder, her master hasn't been willing to take her for a walk.  Now that we are experiencing a heat wave that will take us well into the 20s above zero, I will have to make up for it.

The great thing is that my dog will walk with me whenever I invite her.  She will ride in the car, go wherever I go, sit with me as I read a book or watch TV, and play without being coaxed.  In fact, she rarely lets me out of her sight!  She will respond to anything I say and do.

Of course, you say, almost every dog will do that.  But that brings a question to mind.  Why don't we follow our Master that way?

Now, I know that this analogy doesn't exactly match us.  Dogs are naturally followers of a pack.  When you become pack leader, your dog follows because it is the nature of a dog to do so.

And yet, we also have a new nature if we are followers of Jesus Christ.  He has placed His Spirit within us.  We ought to follow Jesus as willingly as our dogs follow us.  Not as His pets, but as His children.

John tells us in John 1:12-13:   But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

This new birth is not physical, but spiritual.  Only God could do that.  And only He could place that new nature within us.  A nature that can follow Jesus where and how He leads.

But it takes discipline.  Just like bundling up and going out on a cold day, walking with Jesus every day takes being dedicated to take time each day to hear His voice through the Bible and through prayer.  

Yes, I said we need to hear God through our prayer life.  Prayer is not just talking to God and giving Him our list of needs and wants.  Save that for Santa.  Just like communicating with your spouse or friend is both listening and responding, prayer is listening to God and responding to what He shares with you.

Do you want to have a deeper walk with Jesus?  Do you want to know God's will for your life?   Listen as you pray.  Seek God as you read His Word. Then respond to His voice, rather than hoping He responds to yours.

It takes discipline to walk daily with God.  But don't let Him out of your sight. And when He calls you to go with Him, don't hesitate.  The best place you can be is with the Master.