Is the LORD calling you?
“But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob,he who formed you, O Israel:‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,and the flame shall not consume you.For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior (Isaiah 43:1-3a ESV).”
Follow me…Jesus calls out followers; it’s both an invitation and a command.
The first disciples took the call seriously; they followed him.
“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him (Matthew 4:18-22 ESV).”
The response was immediate; the called were obedient.