And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
-- Mark 1:17
Jesus calls each of us to walk with him... daily. And today we will choose whether we will drop our nets and walk, or hold on to our nets and stay.
For the first century fisherman, nets were more than a tool for the job. Nets represented security. Nets were a way of life - of living. Even more, nets were identity.
Jesus came (purposefully) strolling along the beach. "Follow me," he said to two fishermen, "I have a mission for you." Mark uses a word repeatedly in his gospel - Immediately. The two dropped their nets and walked with him.
The two brothers didn't fold and store their nets for later use, as a fallback plan. They didn't tell Jesus they would meet him at church after they finished up. They immediately dropped their nets - their security... their way of life... their identity.
Nets lose their luster in the face of the high calling from God. And make no mistake, you and I have a high calling.
Jesus may call us to drop our nets. He may choose to use our nets. He may give us completely different nets. The point is, when Jesus calls, we need to realize that whatever we are holding on to - for our security... our way of life... our identity - they are just nets. And we must choose. Will we stay? Will we follow? We must choose - immediately.
God, I choose to drop my nets...
For now...
D
