When I think about our mission statement – Helping people find and follow Jesus – one of the things that comes to mind is this… how do we actually do that - today, right now in April, 2024?
What does it look like?
Recently, I came across some really helpful practices to follow to live this out in a life-giving relationship with Him.
How to Follow Jesus:
- Spend time with God alone daily: Jesus did this with His Father. It’s a Quiet Time (Prayer, Bible Reading, Reflection) and more. In our Small Group, we are learning to practice the “daily office” – taking a few minutes of silence 2x/day to simply be quiet in His presence. I don’t know where I would be (except a mess) without my time with God. It is where I get charged and recharged, pray through the events of the day and then reflect on what happened during the dat. It’s where I take intentional time just to be with Jesus.
- Hear and obey God’s Word: This is the “live it out” part of following Jesus. We walk with Him in obedience. The Hebrew word “Shema” means more than simply “hear” – it means to hear and obey. It is in the daily life of obedience where we see God at work as the Holy Spirit works in us and through us.
- Love each person: This was so important to Jesus, He put it up there with the most important commandment. Love is where we experience God in a powerful way as He loves through us because God is love. How we love others affects and reflects our love for God.
- Multiply your life: We care called to make disciples (followers) of Jesus. As we pour into others, it enriches our lives and brings us closer to Jesus as we rely on Him to impact others. When Jesus commissioned His followers to make disciples of all nations, He included the promise that He would be with them until the end of the age. Jesus is at work today in bringing people to the Father and is always looking for others willing to join Him in this work. As we follow Jesus, we move side by side with Him to help others do the same.
It's pretty simple really. Listen to the Holy Spirit daily and do what He says. Spend time just with God. Love people. Impact the lives of others for the kingdom. Follow Jesus.