Following the Shepherd Who Guides Unto the Death

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“All the way my Savior leads me
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His faithful mercies?
Who through life has been my guide
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort
Ere by faith in Him to dwell
For I know whate’er fall me
Jesus doeth all things well“

Fanny Crosby

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“What do you want to do after you graduate high school?”

I paused, turning to my coworker as I chewed my words. Should I say missions? Or counseling? Or all the above? Finally, after a couple moments of awkward silence and internal battling, I hesitantly smiled. “I want to follow Jesus.”

Margo blinked a couple times, then giggled. “Girl. Okay, but like after that.”

“After what?” I blushed and allowed a friendly laugh, realizing I was introducing an incredibly awkward depth to a light-hearted question.

She waved her arms around as if trying to grasp the right words, “you know…when life happens!”

I smiled, sensing the Spirit whisper: speak up. Tell of Me. Don’t miss this. Looking into my dear coworker’s lovely brown eyes, I grew serious. “Jesus is my life, Margo. I know it sounds cheesy. But I honestly cannot even imagine how empty I would be without Him. There will never be a day where I follow Him perfectly, but I want nothing more than to follow Him every day of my life.”

Margo stared at me for a couple minutes, gave a little smirk, and laughed. “Props to you, girl. I’m good with Jesus, but I could never.”

Words were at a loss in the moment so, for the time being, I simply left the conversation there. As the awkwardness moved back into the daily chaos of working in a class of four-year-olds, I felt the frustration weigh on my soul.

I had heard that phrase over and over again since being back in the United States. Christians talking about loving Jesus but being “unable” to sacrifice of themselves for Him. Secretly, my heart wondered, why, God? Why are You letting them live in this comfort while I’m on a crazy ride of awkwardness and discomfort?

Immediately, the Holy Spirit reminded me of John 21 when Jesus was preparing Peter for his future life and death. Peter, freaking out over the uncomfortable details, pointed to John and asked, “what about him?” Jesus replied, “If it is my will that he remains until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

A dear friend of mine recently pointed out that it seems like Peter was “trying to take someone down with him.” The humorous idea is also sobering because it so clearly relates to our human desire to not face discomfort alone. And Jesus does not say we need to be alone. But in the wondering and the questioning…in the panic and the trembling…He looks at our hearts and simply says, “You follow Me.”

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

– Matthew 16:24-25

Following Him is Not About Me

God beckons storm clouds and they come. He tells the wind to blow and the rain to fall, and they obey immediately. He speaks to the mountains, ‘You go there,’ and He says to the seas, ‘You stop here,’ and they do it. Everything in all creation responds in obedience to the Creator…until we get to you and me. We have the audacity to look God in the face and say, ‘No.’

 – David Platt

When we ask God, “what about them?” we are really asking God, “why are you doing this to me?” Truthfully consider it. The foundation of such questions is jealousy, and the root of jealousy is concern with self. Give me any example of jealousy and I can show you how it points to self.

Let me show you. In coveting others’ humility, I mourn my pride. I become so consumed with my lack of humility that I increase my pride by dwelling on myself more than I actually seek the God who grants me grace and growth in the learning. The concern with others – because of focus on self – distracts me from God.

Another example, in wondering why more Christians are not willing to enter the mission field, I complain that I feel alone and like God’s “guinea pig” in a difficult place. In focusing on the blessings others have in resting within their comfort zones – which really is quite empty – I miss the beauty of Christ’s calling to surrender and join His breathtaking, eternal, and global love-story. And, once again, I find myself distracted from the Sovereign God and focused on earthly things with fleeting significances.

Following Christ is not about me.

Which means it also cannot be about others.

It is all about Him.

Simple, really.

The first verse of Psalm 23 says, “the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” He is enough. My Shepherd is enough. I shall not want.

And I find that beautiful. Because in the simplicity of refined faith there is freedom. Freedom enough to let go of worldly conditions and standards. Freedom enough to live a life of meaning and purpose and beauty. Oh my, there is freedom indeed! Because no opinion, no statistic, no person, no heartache, no trembling, nothing at all can keep you or restrain you.

When your heart is set on Christ alone, with nothing else to entertain your secret thoughts and deepest longings, you will find freedom. Because for once in your life, defying every cultural and social and self-righteous condition, it is not about you.

It is about the Sovereign God who already knows how the story ends.

And that is freeing.

God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.

– Francis Chan

Onward, Upward For a Heavenly Home

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.

– Acts 1:8-9

One of my dearest friends has always encouraged me with the reminder to look “onward, upward.” And when I say “always,” I mean that I do not remember a time when she has not held to this precious encouragement and reminder.

The beauty of this conviction has long since rested on my heart and as I read my morning devotions earlier this month, I stumbled upon a delightful depiction of how this quote portrays Christ’s heart also.

When Jesus sent his disciples out as “witnesses” of Him, I imagine they were afraid. I cannot help but wonder at their thoughts…were they trembling? Were they frustrated for such little information? Were they tempted to dwell on hopelessness with the reality of Jesus’ departure? Imagine the questions that must have rushed through their hearts and minds!

And yet, Jesus does not confront any human response or reaction to His calling upon their lives. Instead, He ascended into heaven, directing their gaze, “onward…upward.”

As the first missionaries were sent unto the uttermost – as Jesus beckoned, “come and die” – He gave them a glimpse of hope. He gave them a comfort for the lonely nights on their long journeys. He gave them a reason to smile in the seasons of deepest despair. From the first breath of their calling, Jesus directed them onward, upward.

We are called just the same.

He does not call us “here” or “there.”

Jesus simply calls us to Himself.

And as we seek Him, He directs us throughout the earth, throughout the years, throughout the day. We can follow Him without regret because our hearts are focused, onward, upward.

And just as we know the fleeting of this life, we hold to the hope of eternity. An eternity where we will not need to look onward, upward, but we will be onward, upward, with Him.

An eternity where we will ever dwell upon His goodness and grace in the soldier years.

We long to be onward, upward…and so we follow Him…onward, upward.

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know You, a heart to seek You, wisdom to find You, conduct pleasing to You, faithful perseverance in waiting for You, and a hope of finally embracing You. Amen.

– Thomas Aquinas

Come and See the God Who Journeys with His Soldiers

From the first moment of your spiritual life until you are ushered into glory, the cry of Christ to you will be, “Come, come unto me.” He will always be ahead of you, bidding you follow him as the soldier follows his leader. He will always go before you to pave your way, and to prepare your path, and He will bid you come after Him all through life, and in the solemn hour of death, when you shall lie panting upon your bed, His sweet word with which He shall usher you into the heavenly world shall be-“ Come, come unto me. Stretch thy wings and fly straight to this world of joy where I am dwelling. Come and be with me where I am.

– Charles Spurgeon

You will never walk a valley which God is unable to carry you through.

You will never bear a heartache that God is unable to hold.

Dear friend, you will never follow our God to a place through which He is unable to journey with you.

There is a beautiful verse in Psalm 48 which speaks on the Shepherding, steadfast nature of God. The psalmist, in adoration of God’s wonderful and faithful goodness, states, “For such is God, our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.”

Other versions say, “to the end” or “forever.” And normally, I would share all the verses in this post in the same version (ESV), but this NASB version of the verse is so powerful and breathtaking.

He will guide us unto death.

We serve the God who guides us unto death.

So, whom shall we fear? What can captive our redeemed souls? Yahweh may not save us from the fire, but He is faithful to join us in the flames. The King of Heaven is with us all the way.

Are we with Him?

God, I pray Thee, light up these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like You, Lord Jesus.

– Jim Elliot

Jesus beckons come and die. Because He wants us to see things with His eyes…with the understanding that the air in our lungs is full of purpose and beauty when breathed for His eternal glory. Every moment suddenly overflows with meaning when we realize we are here not for comfort, not for pleasure, not for ease.

We are here for Christ’s glory.

And if Christ surrendered all – if the Son of God humbly lived and selflessly breathed and sacrificially died and faithfully rose – where did we get the idea that our lives were made for comfort?

Jesus beckons, “follow me.”

Yes, my friend. Jesus is calling you to “come and die.”

And those are hard words. I know. I am tearing up as I think about them…and what they could mean for you and me. Where they might lead us if we truly grasp them. Because they are heavy, my friend. They are heavy words to bear…but they are worthy. Because they come from the heart of a holy God.

Will you close your eyes and think about them? Really, truly ponder them in your heart for a moment. Calm your soul. Quiet your spirit.

And listen.

Listen to the Spirit whisper, “come and die. But not alone. You follow Me. And I will guide you unto death.”

And in the weight of those words lies the beauty of a fleeting life redeemed with overflowing fullness.

Are we ready to follow the Shepherd who guides us unto death?

When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer