The Christmas Eve service is one of my favorite services of the year. It brings joy to my soul to sing about our Savior’s birth and to look down the aisle at my children singing with their faces aglow from the candlelight. This year the message was about Jesus being our shepherd. The older I get, the more comforting it is to know that Jesus is my shepherd. He leads me. He guides me. He protects me!
Leadership and Followership
The one part of the message that really stuck out to me was a question he asked us to ponder. “How is my follow?” You see if someone is willing and able to lead that is great. But it is only beneficial if I am willing to follow. I have to respond. I have to be willing to go where He leads and do it how He guides me.
Follow Truth
As we are raising our children in a world full of voices it is important that we teach them who to follow and who to turn away from. Everyone has an opinion and everyone has 5 or even 10 reasons why theirs is correct. As the world gets louder, I am realizing the importance of growing my spiritual ears larger. I also am one of those who has an opinion (aren’t we all) and I have reasons to back it up. But I don’t want my kids going along with me just because I am their mom. I want them to listen to the only source of Truth, our loving Father God.
Follow God
As parents it is our job to lead our children to the Lord. It is only the Lord that can capture their heart and show them the way. Sure, we can give advice and lead them in the right direction, but in the end they are going to decide for themselves what they are going to do. Because of that we want them to have a vibrant relationship with the Lord so His voice is loud and clear and all others or muffled or even muted.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they FOLLOW me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me. – John 10:27-28 (NLT)
For 2022, the Word the Lord gave our family was FOLLOW. This is the word that we will ponder and pursue as the days go on. We will purposefully pause to listen to our Father’s voice before we respond, speak or act. And we will follow that pause with an act of obedience. This is really where the rubber meets the road. We can listen all day, but it is in obedience that we actually follow.
Obedience
Obedience is an act of faith. Often God calls us to do things outside of our comfort zone and sometimes without a certain outcome. Sometimes it is laying down our own will (our desires and ways) and choosing to align our will with God’s. Because, friends, His way is always the best. For you and for everyone around you! For the Hansons, our goal for this year is to pursue a lifestyle of following. With Faithful Obedience we will Let God Lead Our Will!
A Year of Following
As you ponder this new year and all it could bring, take some time to put your listening ears on (flashback to kindergarten) and see what God wants you to pursue this year. Make your goals for the year centered around pursuing God, His heart, His way, His path. What word does He have for you this year?
