Scripture

Matthew 4:18-20 NIV

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Consider

Peter and his brother Andrew knew that Jesus was seeking more than mere traveling companions. At this point the brothers were familiar with John’s testimony about Jesus and had likely heard the itinerant rabbi’s teachings and possibly witnessed healings. Thus, their decision to drop everything and follow Jesus was not as spontaneous as it might seem. Although they did not understand everything about the person of Jesus or his mission, when he called them, they trusted him enough to surrender themselves to his authority.

Like Peter and Andrew, we obey God not because we fully understand what God is doing but because we fully trust the One who calls us to follow. We are compelled not by logic or reason but by the person and nature of Jesus. We obey because we believe in him and trust in his goodness and authority over us.

When God commands us to forgive, for example, we don’t have to fully understand the situation before we obey. We don’t have to weigh the evidence and guess at the other person’s motives or decide whether forgiving is wise or fair or likely to resolve a conflict. We forgive because we believe in the God who calls us to obey. We trust that God would not ask us to forgive if he hadn’t already thought it through and laid out the best course for us to follow.

If we find ourselves struggling to forgive, it helps to refocus our attention on the God we love instead of fuming over our offender and what was done to us. Forgiveness grows from our faith in the person of God, in his wisdom and goodness that always guide us in the right way if we are willing to follow him.

Pray

Merciful Father, fill me with your Spirit so that I may bear fruit for you in my relationships. Pardon my selfish ways and give me faith to accept your call to obedience as Peter and Andrew did, with joy and thanksgiving.

Reflect

Proverbs 3:5-6; Galatians 5:22-26

Ponder

How might God feed a hungering soul through my act of forgiveness?