Walking Along...Day 4 of Matthew

One of the things I love about the book of Matthew is the repetition. Like a carefully woven fabric with pleasing color patterns throughout, the book of Matthew shows flashes of various repetitions that punctuate the canvas of this gospel like no other.

One repeated concept twinkles in chapter 4. The second half of the chapter catches up with our Lord as He walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. (I love this very human picture of Christ...can't you just see the footprints He leaves in the wet mud-sand along the shore and the shallow waves lap at His feet?)

Anyway, He calls out to Peter and Andrew, fisherman hard at work right in the middle of cast their net, probably for the third time that day, "Come follow Me." The Scripture tells us they left their nets and followed Him.

Then Jesus comes upon more fisherman along the shore of Galilee and calls out to them, as well. And they immediately come to follow Him. Finally in verse 25, we see large crowds also followed Him.

Over and over in this one 25 verse chapter, we see people following Him.
The original Greek word translated "follow" in this chapter is a word that means "together" and "path or road." It is to walk together along a road or path. It is not just the idea of walking behind another, but rather to walk together.

The Lord Jesus desires you and I to walk alongside Him through our path in life. Whether we are doing laundry, washing dishes, driving down the highway, or rocking a child, the Lord Jesus desires to walk that road with us. Whether it is a job loss, financial disaster, a tragedy or a painful trial, the Lord Jesus desires to walk that road with us, too. In the mundane and the messy he is there and He is inviting you to "follow Him."

When my husband and I take walks in our neighborhood in the fall (right now it is hot enough we would die of heat exhaustion by the time we got to the end of the driveway!), I love it when he takes my hand in his even when we are just walking without a word. I imagine the Lord Jesus is the same way, desiring to just take my hand as we walk...neither has to say much, it is just the knowledge and comfort of His company. Are you willing to acknowledge His presence today and follow Him throughout the day?