Matthew 9: 9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named
Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told
him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
There are a
couple of passages that reflect this same simplicity Jesus says, and people do.
Hey you, get up and follow me…..and Matthew gets up and goes. Pretty simple
huh? I mean it seems easy enough, Why not right? Christ shows up in your life,
and you move….What? it’s not that easy? There is more to it than that? Life is
more complicated today? There are more grey areas, life is not so black and
white like it was back then? I might be inclined to go along with those
thoughts, but Matthew was a tax collector. If you want to see a picture of
someone living in the grey area, look at the life of a tax collector in the day
of Jesus. These guys were crooks, by way of the law, they taxed more than they
were supposed to and they kept the profits. It was common knowledge, no one
liked the tax man (some things never change). Matthew was living a life that
would rival Bernie Madoff! The difference is Matthew most likely never would
have been caught, and prosecuted! Think about it, Matthew had a pretty good gig
going on by worldly standards. He took what he wanted, lived as he pleased, did
not want for anything. Matthew must of had a nice house, he threw a dinner
party and a ton of folks showed up. If they had Maserati’s back then, you can
bet Matthew would have had one. Yet, Matthew was called, and
Matthew moved! That tells me one thing. Out of all the stuff that Matthew had,
he still felt like he was missing something. He knew there was more to be had.
I often wonder about the next few days after Matthew decided to follow Jesus. I
can see him sort of looking around thinking, “wow, this cat does not have
anything!” What am I doing here, why did I give up everything that I had? I am
sure that all of those questions were answered as soon as Jesus raised that
little dead girl. Oh, I can here Matthew say to himself, this guy gives life to
those that are dead………OK, I am in!
That is the
simplicity of Christ. Get out past the religion, the “right music” the “right
rituals” “ the right prayers” the “right church” get down to the brass tacks,
and you will see plain and simple, Jesus brings life where there was only
death. That is what makes the choice so simple. It is that very thing that
makes men and women leave their lives of comfort, and travel to faraway lands
to tell the world this truth. It is why people turn from their old worldly
lives, and follow Jesus when He calls. They realize that Christ brings them
life…..Christ brings you life. It is this simple truth, Christ died for you,
that can change a life, a family, a community, a country, and yes the entire
world we live in. There is something more out there for you. I don’t care who
you are, or where you are at in your journey with God. That empty feeling, that
little empty feeling that shows up usually when you are at the height of your
game. The celebration that falls a little short, the joy that somehow still
feels a little lacking. That is the feeling of knowing there is more out there.
That is the feeling of the call of Christ to do a little more than last time
(even if last time was nothing). It is the feeling of making sure you make that
simple choice, and follow when Christ calls. I am sure that Matthew knew
exactly what feeling I am talking about. I would be willing to bet he had been
living with that feeling for quite a while.
Knowing that
Christ brought us life, and continues to guide us through that life. Knowing
that He offers that life to you each and every day, and each and every day, He
calls you to make that choice, and fill that empty feeling with the Love of
Christ. There is always more to do, there is always something better out there,
that something better is what Christ is calling you for. He is not calling me
to it, He has me doing something else. He is not calling your neighbor to it,
He has them tied up on another task. He is calling you. The work He has done,
He did for you. The work He continues to do, He is doing for you. The call that
you hear….yes, it is for you. Will you go as willingly as Matthew did? Even if
it means that you might have to give up some of what you have to get what you
are being called to? Christ is calling you today, will you follow? It really is
just that easy. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be willing.
God Bless,
Brian Thetford
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About Brian Thetford
I am merely what God has created, a person who is here to help with his plan, a cog in the wheel of life. That is where I find my worth, not in what I do for a living, or what I have accomplished in life, but what I have done that extends the Lord’s plan and expands his will, that being said, this is a little about me.I am a husband to a wonderful wife for the last 17 years. I have two outstanding daughters who help keep my heart soft, and young. For a living I am the Logistics Director for a foodservice company. For my love, I write about and minister on behalf of the Lord. It is here that I find my peace, purpose, and balance. I spend a lot of my free time, writing, reading, studying, or talking about the Lord and his teachings. I am working on starting a church in Leander, TX and if the Lord is willing it will be the beginning of a great journey. The rest of the free time goes to my family. As a result, I do not know what the score was for the latest game, no matter the sport, and I really do not care what Brittany Spears did yesterday. Some call me boring. I like to think of it as focused on what is important, my God, and my family.I believe that the Lord has intertwined all of the above into the perfect life for me, a balance of reality, fun, sorrow, and spiritual awakening. I find that for me, the journey is not about going up the road and trying to find the end; it is more about heading back down and helping others get past the same obstacles that I had to get around. I spent the first thirty years of my life on the run, usually in the wrong direction; I will spend the balance on my journey home, picking up as many as I can that are as lost as I was, doubling back when I hear a cry for help.
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