Resting In Grace Sample

Our own plans can get in the way of following Jesus.

My husband and I had a rare Saturday free. I was staying home catching up on chores while Larry ran errands. He was leaving the post office when a woman approached him. She was hungry and looked like she’d had a hard time of it.

She’s lucky Larry was the one running errands; I might have hurried by, too focused on my to-do list to notice her. But my husband felt God urging him to help, and he immediately obeyed. He got the lady some food, found out where she lived, and came home to get me to help him to buy groceries for her. I tried to explain that I had my day planned, but he was focused on following Jesus. Nothing else mattered.

In today’s verse, Matthew, one of Jesus’ disciples, shares his story of the day he left his plans to follow the true Leader—Jesus. He’d likely been part of the crowd that heard Jesus teach and saw Him heal people. From his place at the tax collector’s table, he might’ve heard the buzz about Jesus having just healed a paralyzed man whose friends had lowered him through the roof.

And then Jesus walked by and saw Matthew. The Jewish people despised tax collectors. They were outcasts and cheats. But when Jesus looked, He saw Matthew—not just his sin or occupation.

He invited Matthew to follow Him, and he did. He didn’t worry about his tax collecting business or anything else he might have had planned for the day. Jesus called, and he followed. 

Lord, please help us to follow Matthew’s example and be quick to follow when You call.

In what area or way is God asking you to follow Him today? How will you obey?

~ Dawn Tolbert