Vital signs - Monday, September 7th, 2020

“Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

No one likes to get stuck. We talk about getting stuck in a rut, or getting emotionally stuck as a bad thing. Being stuck means that no movement or growth is happening. The same is true spiritually. And let’s face it: all of us feel like we get stuck on our spiritual journey from time to time. The good news is that Jesus is in the process of taking us somewhere; following him is the purposeful intent to go where He wants us to be, and will keep us from getting stuck for long if we listen to him.

This is what Abram did in Genesis 12. While “stuck” in his hometown, God commands Abram to go on an incredible journey, leaving his country and family to go to a land God would show him. The result of Abram’s faith steps would be a new nation that honored God and resulted in bringing the Messiah for the salvation of mankind.

Hebrews 11:8 tells us that Abram obeyed God and “went out, not knowing where he was going.” He modeled for us that going where God wants us to go is ultimately a question of faith—relying on the goodness and sovereign plan of God for our lives. When faith is required, there is risk and sometimes fear, because we don’t know all this will entail. Choosing to go is choosing to face those fears.

With his earthly mission complete, Jesus gave this command to his disciples: “Go, and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt. 28:19). In his prayer in John 17, he says to the Father, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” Going where Jesus wants us to go will inevitably lead to making disciples, i.e., fellow followers of Jesus. Unfortunately, many have construed Jesus' command to "make disciples" to be a special talent, or the description of a professional career in ministry. But there are a lot of pathways to be involved in making disciples.

It’s an action for every follower of Jesus, just like hospitality or intercessory prayer. As you yield to the Spirit’s control of your life, tell Jesus you’ll go wherever he wants you to go on your spiritual journey, including to make disciples of others. Let him lead you toward who and how you live that out each day.

Will you go where God wants you to go today?

Ask him who you might be in a position to influence today to be a fellow disciple of Jesus.