Following

Have you ever had to follow someone in a car?  Don’t you hate it when they go through a yellow light and you lose them?  Or another car comes in between you and you can’t see the car you’re following?

We just returned from a road trip.  One where I had to follow my husband for nine hours.  Yes, NINE HOURS!  We packed up my car and our daughter’s car and headed to her college town for her wedding.  So my husband and sons drove the car that I normally drive and I drove my daughter’s car while she did schoolwork and worked on a video for the dinner reception.

And I learned a few things along the way.  (Besides the fact that one Taco Bell Gordita is delicious, but just not enough lunch for me on a road trip, and that there is a sign along the interstate for a drugstore somewhere in Iowa called Stoner Drug!)  As I followed along the divided highways with little traffic I noticed myself starting to lag behind.  And when traffic became heavier I would stay very close so that I wouldn’t get lost.

Then we had to pick up our tuxes at a town near a big city where there is always traffic no matter what time it is.  It was horrible!  My GPS was telling me directions, but my husband ahead of me did the opposite of everything my GPS said.  I had to follow very closely or I would quickly lose him in all of that traffic with my different directions.  So there I was with my daughter following my husband very closely having no idea where he was going – for an hour!  (Sorry if you were there and I didn’t let you in front of me or if I pulled in front of you!  In normal circumstances I really am a courteous driver!)  You should have heard the joy in our car when we finally saw a road sign with the name of the city we needed on it!  We were finally close.  And we did make it because we didn’t stop following.

My driving adventure that day reminds me of following Jesus.  When we make the decision to put our trust in Jesus as our Savior from sin and desire to live His way instead of our own way, we must follow Him.  It’s tempting to be a bit lazy when life is easy and not spend much time in God’s Word or in prayer.  Then when life is difficult we suddenly wake up and realize how much we need to be close to God.  Or we give up and turn away from God.

I’ve been reading the book, “Not a Fan,” by Kyle Idleman.  He writes, “It may seem that there are many followers of Jesus, but if they were honestly to define the relationship they have with Him I am not sure it would be accurate to describe them as followers.  It seems to me that there is a more suitable word to describe them.  They are not followers of Jesus.  They are fans of Jesus,” (24).  Then Idleman goes on to define the term “fan” from the dictionary as “an enthusiastic admirer” and writes, “I think Jesus has a lot of fans these days.  Fans who cheer for Him when things are going well, but who walk away when it’s a difficult season,” (25).

So today I want to be a follower of Jesus, just like I followed my husband in our cars when following was easy on the simple divided highways and when following was difficult through the traffic-filled interstates where I had no idea where I was or where I was going.  I trusted my husband to get me where I needed to be and I will trust Jesus as well.  I will follow Jesus.  After all, Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” (NIV).

Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful dad!  And also to my wonderful husband who is the wonderful dad to our kids!  And to all you dads out there!

I don’t really know what to say to dads.  I’m not a guy.  So I’ll just say that you all really make a difference in the lives of your kids.

I loved seeing my dad pray with my mom each morning before he left for work and then come home at the end of the day and hug her.  Then in the evenings he would sit in his chair and read his Bible.  And I remember going with him to Winchell’s for donuts.  My favorite is still their giant glazed twist donut!  And he even took me out for my first date when I turned 16.  Now my husband and I have been married for 24 years so I’ve watched my husband make memories with our three kids.  Memories all the way from goofy bedtime routines and fun family vacations to leading family devotions.  And I’m so glad that he was the one to run behind little bicycles and get in the car with teens who had never driven before!  We’ve made a good team together.

Maybe you haven’t had the best father.  Please know that our God is the only perfect Father and He knows you and cares about you.  Or maybe you haven’t felt like the best father.  Or the best child.  Remember David?  We learn in First Samuel that after God rejected Saul as King of Israel and sent Samuel in search of one of Jesse’s sons to take Saul’s place, David’s dad didn’t even call him to the dinner.  But David, rejected by his own dad, ended up being the next King of Israel and a man after God’s own heart.  There is hope today.  God loves you, just like He loved David.  I think one of the neatest things about this true story is just the fact that it’s there.  God could have simply told Samuel to go anoint David, but He didn’t.  He allowed us this glimpse into David’s life.  To find this boy alone with a bunch of sheep while his dad and brothers were eating dinner with the prophet Samuel.  God knows right where you are today.  And He has a plan for your future.

I think a good song for Father’s Day is the song, “Lead Me,” by Sanctus Real.  So here’s to all the dads out there.  Keep leading your family.  We appreciate you!