And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishermen.
Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."
They immediately left their nets, and followed Him.
When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.
And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after Him.
~Mark 1:16-20, New King James Version
After asking the Lord to help me find a Christian teaching tape I had wanted to listen to about marriage one Sunday afternoon, He led me to a tape about something a little different, not quite what I had in mind, but I listened anyway. During his sermon, the pastor testified about a young man and woman whom the Lord had healed, the one from brain cancer, the other from lung cancer. It suddenly occurred to me, and I wondered why I couldn't get through to certain people in my life, I had tried to contact; there were always some peculiar challenge. Unsolicited parties were always available though, it seemed.
Don't get me wrong, I know that God commands us to love everybody, and I obey but, naturally, there are some we could only ever love as Christians, not romantically. For example, after learning about Isaac through his servant, Rebekah's mother and brother asked Rebekah if she would go with him to be Isaac's wife. Rebekah said, "I will go" (Genesis 24:58). Rebekah said yes and went because she knew that she could submit to Isaac (Genesis 24: 32-59). In contrast when Naomi told Ruth to go back to Moab and start over her life with her own people, Ruth said no because she disagreed with her people's way of life. They were heathens (Ruth 1:1-17). It is not that Ruth didn't love her own people, it is that she could only love them as a Christian. She refused to make unions—friendships or marriages with them. Ruth said:
Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me (Ruth 1:16-17).
Both these women made quality decisions about whom they would and would not marry—romantic decisions—and they both became the ancestors of the most important and famous man in the history of the world, Christ Himself.
Well I didn't know what to do about the divide between my loved ones and I, except pray, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. In one of my Bible study sessions, I heard somebody say PRAY. I knew it was the Voice of the Lord, but I didn't know what to pray for and how, so I prayed in the Spirit—the way I normally do when in doubt. The Bible says, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26). Then I started to get weary and angry about not knowing God's Will, or even my own desires, but rather than doing something rash I began to pray with my understanding for the salvation of my loved ones whom, for reasons unbeknownst to me, I was rarely ever able to contact. One had even disappeared from fond memories.
Knowing that God loves us and is in full control of our lives (Ecclesiastes 9:1), I questioned why He was allowing this familiar impediment. The Lord gave me the passage of Scripture above from the Gospel According to Mark as a friendly reminder to me that whatever else He has planned, His main priority is to save mankind.
I still don't have all the answers, but I plan to continue to seek and trust God. Also I continue to ask the Lord for the interpretations of mysterious dreams I've had about one of my loved ones, and pray for his salvation too. It is written, "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all saints—" (Ephesians 6:18).
I thank the Lord for what clarity He did give me so far and I will ever trust Him for more.
I'm almost a month behind in my Study the Bible in One Year program due to some recent travels to the North, so godda run—a lot of catching up to do, till next time then…
Yours in Christ's Love,
Denise
PS When were you filled with the Holy Spirit?
