Jesus Calls Disciples

Did it turn out OK? Well, if you waited till Sunday to read this, you know. You know because you are on the other side. You crossed the threshold into the year 2000, so you know if the digital transition from 99 to 00 turned out OK. You also know if it paid to prepare extensively for major disruptions.

But as I write, I don't know. Nobody really knows. So, many people like me don't know how much "preparing" we ought to be doing. Perhaps we just should skip fretting about it. (Actually, I don't fret about it, but maybe I should!) As you might recall, though, lots of diverse groups of people are calling us to action in response to this Y2K thing.

Makes me think of today's lesson. Jesus calls us to action. He calls us to make ready for the Day of Lord. (We already know that will most certainly come upon us.) Then He calls us to call others to make ready for That Day.

I believe I am personally ready for the Day of the Lord, but I still need to keep working on those daily expressions of my preparation. (You know, keeping my values, relationships, activities, focus and attitudes in tune.) But many millions of people are not yet ready. They either don't know about the "problem," or else they know but expect that ultimately everything will turn out OK. (In a sense, that's how many people are dealing with the Y2K issue as well.)

That second call, though, bothers me somewhat. Though I've answered the first call, sometimes it doesn't seem I have answered the second call very well. Is it possible that I don't take the second call any more seriously than many folks take the first call? Could it be that I think I can neglect the second call and that everything will turn out OK in the end anyway?

How about you? Answer the first call! Answer the second call! Don't settle for hoping everything will turn just fine no matter what you decide.

Faithful but free. Did you notice that in reading today's lesson? "Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea...he saith unto them, Follow me...they straightway left their nets, and followed him." Two other men had a similar experience: "James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother...mending their nets...he called them...they immediately left the ship...and followed him." And another: "He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom...follow me...he arose, and followed him."

Each of these men had a job which he was doing faithfully. Each of these men had a commitment which exceeded his commitment to his job, and that was a commitment to do God's will. The lesson to me is clear: Be faithful in what you're doing, but be ready to follow Jesus toward doing something else.

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