ARE YOU LEADING OR FOLLOWING? My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW me: (Joh 10:27) FOLLOW DEFINED: 1. To go after or behind; to walk, ride or move behind, but in the same direction. Soldiers will usually follow a brave officer. 2. To pursue; to chase; as an enemy, or as game. 3. To accompany; to attend in a journey. 4. To accompany; to be of the same company; to attend, for any purpose. 5. To succeed in order of time; to come after; as a storm is followed by a calm. 6. To be consequential; to result from, as effect from a cause. Intemperance is often followed by disease or poverty, or by both. 7. To result from, as an inference or deduction. It follows from these facts that the accused is guilty. 8. To pursue with the eye; to keep the eyes fixed on a moving body. He followed or his eyes followed the ship, till it was beyond sight. 9. To imitate; to copy; as, to follow a pattern or model; to follow fashion. 10. To embrace; to adopt and maintain; to have or entertain like opinions; to think or believe like another; 11. To obey; to observe; to practice; to act in conformity to. It is our duty to follow the commands of Christ. Good soldiers follow the orders of their general; good servants follow the directions of their master. 12. To pursue as an object of desire; to endeavor to obtain. Follow peace with all men. Heb 12. 13. To use; to practice; to make the chief business; as, to follow the trade of a carpenter; to follow the profession of law. 14. To adhere to; to side with. 15. To adhere to; to honor; to worship; to serve. 16. To be led or guided by. Wo to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. Ezek 13. 17. To move on in the same course or direction; to be guided by; as, to follow a track or course. We should follow our Lord as unhesitatingly as sheep follow their shepherd, for he has a right to lead us wherever he pleases. We are not our own, we are bought with a price-let us recognize the rights of the redeeming blood. The soldier follows his captain, the servant obeys his master, much more must we follow our Redeemer, to whom we are a purchased possession. We are not true to our profession of being Christians, if we question the bidding of our Leader and Commander. Submission is our duty, cavilling is our folly. Often might our Lord say to us as to Peter, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.” Wherever Jesus may lead us, he goes before us. If we know not where we go, we know with whom we go. With such a companion, who will dread the perils of the road? The journey may be long, but his everlasting arms will carry us to the end. The presence of Jesus is the assurance of eternal salvation, because he lives, we shall live also. We should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the paths in which he leads us all end in glory and immortality. It is true they may not be smooth paths-they may be covered with sharp flinty trials, but they lead to the “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant.” Let us put full trust in our Leader, since we know that, come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, his purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled good to every heir of mercy. We shall find it sweet to go up the bleak side of the hill with Christ; and when rain and snow blow into our faces, his dear love will make us far more blest than those who sit at home and warm their hands at the world’s fire. To the top of Amana, to the dens of lions, or to the hills of leopards, we will follow our Beloved. Precious Jesus, draw us, and we will run after thee.
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:51:44 +0000
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