The ornaments went on
the tree last night. Among them are a rag tag angel from 1956, a plastic
Rudolph from 1957, ornaments from each year our children were born, a key
ornament given to us from my mother the year we bought the house we live in,
motorcycles of all varieties, birds, crosses and more. Each one is significant in that it holds a
special memory in my heart. Occasionally I’d just like to start from
scratch, do something different, make a new memory and decorate the tree
totally different. But each year I mention it, someone will invariably say,
“Noooo, we have to have it the way we always have!” I understand. I want things
to be the way they were when my kids were little. When they just believed what
we told them, knew we were right and followed along willingly. We can’t take
credit for it, because we didn’t choose Him, He chose us. But we have chosen to
follow God, imperfect though we may be - we have chosen to follow
Perfection.
There’s a lot you can
follow in this world. You can follow the headlines. Follow the stock market.
Follow cattle and timber prices. Follow Paula Deen, Martha Stewart, actors,
singers and more. You can follow your own instincts, follow your heart, follow
your dreams. You can follow the flesh, follow your cravings, follow the crowd.
Everything you follow will end up somewhere. Every person you follow you will
end up being taken to an undisclosed destination. That is until you arrive. Do you know where
you’re going?
The wise men followed
the Star. They looked up into the sky and set their eyes on that one thing and
let it guide them to their destination. Maybe their motives weren’t that pure,
after all they were sent by Herod to spy things out for him. Why indeed would a
King of his stature be worried about a baby born in Bethlehem?
We follow Christ all
the way. From the Babe in a manger to the Teacher on the hillside, to the
Crucified on Golgotha’s hill. But we don’t leave Him in the manger… We follow
His beatitudes but we don’t call him Teacher… We follow the cross, but He’s not
dead….We follow Him past the grave for He is Risen…we follow the eastern
sky…for we look for His return.
Oh beloved! Who are you
following and where do you want to go? If you are looking for a different
destination then you’ll have to change your course. Follow Christ! Perhaps you
have a loved one or loved ones who are following things that will hurt them,
destroy them, or take them where they don’t need to go. Pray for them to follow
Christ! Keep praying, keep seeking, keep asking! For Christ Himself has
promised He will answer when we call! No one else may believe that God will
answer, but you can be assured that when the course is changed the destination
will be changed as well.
He says to you this
morning, Behold I AM the One Who is Risen and Coming Again for you and for all
who put their trust in Me! Look for Me in every aspect of your life! Watch for
Me in every situation of your life! Rest in Me for every heartache and pain in
your life. Look up! As you follow Me with your whole heart I will show you
great and magnificent things you have only longed for and dreamed of! You may not have seen all the answers to your
prayers yet, but I AM the One Who hears you, Who answers you and Who blesses your
life. Every one of my Promises is truer than the stars in the sky and the moon
in its orbit. Nothing is too difficult for Me. Follow Me and together we will
redecorate your life for My glory! I love you and I AM for you and on that you
can depend.
John 8:12 Jesus spoke
to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow
Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that
leads to life.”
2 Peter 1:19 Because of
that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by
the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words
are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the
Morning Star shines in your hearts.
I Timothy 2:1 I urge
you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on
their behalf, and give thanks for them.
Colossians 1:3 We
always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Exodus 15:13 With Your
unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed. In Your might, You guide
them to Your sacred home.
Psalm 43:3 Send out
Your light and Your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to Your holy
mountain, to the place where You live.
Micah 4:5 Though the
nations around us follow their idols, we will follow the LORD our God forever
and ever.
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