Daily Devotions
Following Jesus Makes Us Fishers of Men
Reading for July 9th: Psalm 120-132
Weekly reading for July 5-11: Matthew 1-4
And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 4:19
If we follow Jesus, we will become a fisher of men. Isn't that what Jesus says here to his disciples?
Jesus doesn't say, "Follow me, and I'll teach you to become fishers of men." Maybe that's partially what he meant by that statement, but Jesus' didn't use those exact words. What he said is that if you follow me, I'll make you a fisher of men.
So, here's a painful, "look at myself in the mirror" kind of question I need to ask myself... Am I fisher of men? And, if I'm not, then why not? Am I not following Jesus? If following Jesus makes me a fisher of men, then if I'm not doing this, does that mean I'm not following Jesus?
That's a tough one, isn't it?
Maybe I need to walk a little more in the "steps of Jesus" which lead to the "temple holy, preaching the word" but also to the "homes of the poor and lowly, serving the Lord."
Perhaps I should follow Jesus' footprints "o'er the cold, dark mountains, seeking His sheep" or "along by Siloam's fountains, helping the weak."
Seeking the lost is not an optional part of discipleship. If we truly follow Jesus, it is will become one of the defining characteristics of our lives.
Father, forgive me for not faithfully following your Son! I pray that Jesus will make me a constant and zealous fisher of men, just like him!
