Jesus Isn't Decaf (By Naomi Meyers)

Nearly three years ago I challenged myself to read the Bible from cover to cover in a year’s time. I’m not certain I really thought I could accomplish such a daunting task.   Astonishingly, before the year was up, I was finished. I loved it. The stories of punishment and deliverance in Exodus, the commands and laws of Deuteronomy, the triumph and trials of the judges, prophets and kings all held lessons of truth and importance relevant to our day. I had trudged through Numbers, unearthed treasures in Jeremiah, cried with Job, and been blessed by the Psalmist. My heart was touched and encouraged as I traveled with Jesus through His earthly journey. I was challenged by the church of Acts and comforted by the fact that Heaven awaits the one who chooses Jesus over the world. It has become my yearly pilgrimage. It might sound monotonous to read the same thing over and over. It never is.  

As I come down to the last few books of this year’s Bible, I find I cannot separate from the command Jesus made, “Follow me.” He says it several times. He doesn’t follow it up with a promise. He simply commands, silently requesting the hearer to put all their faith and trust in Him. Like the accounts of Jesus calling the disciples, Simon Peter, James, John, and Matthew. Every year I have marked those accounts. Every year I am struck by the immediate answer they give. Every year I find myself in contemplative awe. Not that Jesus called such an assorted lot to follow Him, but the fact that they went. The fact they asked no questions. The fact they asked for no guarantees. 

What made those men drop everything and follow Jesus? They weren’t yet positive He was the long-awaited Messiah. He didn’t offer them anything. No promises of wealth, power, or status. He didn’t wheedle and cajole, sweeten the pot with promises of praise and glory. He didn’t ask more than once. And they didn’t ask Him to! In fact, they don’t ask Him anything at all. No questions of how to provide for their families, preserve their jobs, protect their interests. No “what’s in it for me”? They just drop what they are doing, nets and ledgers alike, and, promise or no promise, follow Jesus. (Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:27-32)

How enamored with Jesus must their hearts have been to just drop everything in faithful obedience and follow Him?  Unlike the almost followers in Luke 9:57-62, no one asked to go kiss their mother or bury a relative. It makes me contemplate those would-be followers too. Why didn’t they follow?  Would their answers have been different if Jesus had offered a 5-star hotel and Michelin starred dining? Would a promise accompanying the command have made them immediately follow? It makes me contemplate myself, my life. Am I as quick to follow Jesus as the fishermen and tax collector? Are you? 

Several years ago, when my husband retired from the military, the tech industry was in a slump and we spent months looking for work. Things were desperate, but we felt with certainty that God was telling us to travel East. We rented out our house, had the moving company take our household goods to storage, packed up three kids and a dog, and headed East. Abraham style. No firm job yet, but two possibilities on the coast. We landed temporarily in Pennsylvania with some family. My anxiety was at an all time high. I don’t remember one single Scripture promise that carried me through those times. I simply kept telling myself, “If we follow God’s will, He is honor bound to take care of us.” 

And He did. Eventually, the phone rang. The offer came. The path illuminated. Settled in our new state, after all those months of worry and concern, stress and grief, God’s promises came to me. Words of strength and courage. Words of confidence.  Words of rest. (Joshua 1:5-13) Promises to Joshua and the Israelites that perfectly fit my situation too. Following Jesus is always worth it. Promise or no promise. 

Whether they knew it in the beginning or not, the disciples learned this too. Watch as they board a little fishing boat, following Jesus’ command to cross the lake. They didn’t require a promise of safety. Jesus didn’t offer one. He simply said, “Let’s go across the lake.” They followed. With the disciples manning the boat, Jesus is soon asleep in the stern. As they travel, the wind picks up. Dark clouds roll over the sun. It begins to sprinkle, then rain in earnest. Wind whips the sails. Waves crash into the sides of the boat. Water floods in. They do everything in their power to stay the course, stay alive. Nothing works. Overcome with fear, they wake Jesus. “Don’t you care about this situation? We are going to die!”  Jesus gets up, speaks peace to the elements. The wind calms. The waves settle. The sun peeks from behind a cloud. The boat sails smoothly again. (Mark 4:35-39) Jesus might not have promised them safe travels when they started the journey, but He took care of them along the way. Their job was to simply follow. 

It’s our job too. Simply follow. Follow Jesus into the thicket, into tight spots and hard places. Stand for Jesus when no one else does. Uphold the Bible. Live by it. Maybe there won’t be a promise spoken in a thundering voice from the sky. Our Bible might not randomly fall open to a passage that fits our exact need. That’s okay. Jesus doesn’t call us to follow His promises. He calls us to follow Him. Obey His commands–promise or no promise–and believe that we can trust Him, knowing Heaven depends on it. 

Because it does. Gaining Heaven depends on our ability to leave the world behind and follow Jesus, no matter what He asks us to do, even if there is no promise of greatness. It will be difficult. There will be obstacles and issues. (John 16:33) But Jesus has overcome the world. He has gone to prepare a place for us. (John 14:2) But the only way to get there is to follow Jesus. Holding back will cost you. (Revelation 21:8) You must drop everything earthly and follow Him.

I don’t know what’s holding you back from truly following Jesus. Unlike the disciples, you have a whole Bible full of accounts that prove Jesus true time and time again. You have access to biographies of Christians who have found following Jesus to be more than enough–with or without a promise of greatness. Your Bible is brimming with thousands of promises of God’s faithfulness and care. But you aren’t there yet. You’re still holding out for a golden ticket that promises prosperity and safety if you follow Jesus. 

Unfortunately for every soul searching for that very thing, there isn’t one. There is no promised plethora of goodness for the one who follows Jesus. There is simply the offer to pick up your cross and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24) No promise of wealth, health, or social standing in this world, only the promise of Heaven in the world to come. So we find ourselves in the uncomfortable position, like the people in Joshua, the disciples who followed, and the almost disciples who didn’t, of needing to make a choice. “Choose who you are going to follow.” Do it today. (Joshua 24:15) Don’t wait to see if something fabulous will be promised. Choose Jesus. Today. Obey Him. Today. Can you do it?  Are you holding out for the promise of greatness or are you enamored enough with Jesus to follow Him no questions asked, no promise necessary?