Verse of the Day 5/19

Through the Bible - 1 Kings 16-18, Matthew 10:1-20

 

Good morning,

Towards the end of yesterday's devotional I asked the question "are you ready to answer the call"?  I was reminded of how our Pastor Bob has challenged the congregation to "get in the game".

 

I recently saw the end to one of my favorite movies "The Rookie".  High school teacher and baseball coach Jim Morris had made an amazing journey to make it to the major leagues at 38 years old, largely through the encouragement and challenge of his students to give it a shot at the big leagues.  One of my favorite scenes is when he gets the call to go to the majors.  His opportunity has arrived, he is now in the bullpen the phone rings and the bullpen coach says "Morris, you're in".  Would anyone in that position turn it down at that point and say I can't do it?

 

Today's New Testament reading is from Matthew 10 where Jesus sends out the 12.  For today's verse we'll go to Mark chapter one where Jesus calls Simon and Andrew to drop their nets and get in the game in the big leagues, to become fishers of men.

 

Mark 1:17-18 (The Message)^16-18Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, "Come with me. I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass." They didn't ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.

 The Message says "I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you".  We may think that His call means that we'll have to go to Africa or some other continent to serve.  Yes, we may.  But we may also serve in the profession we're in.  Jesus may make a new accountant or a new teacher or (insert your profession here) out of you.  The question is, will you answer the call?

 

Read some of the words from the Steven Curtis Chapman Song, "For the Sake of the Call".

 

Empty nets lying there at the waters edge
Told a story that few could believe and none could explain
How some crazy fishermen agreed to go where Jesus lead
With no thought for what they would gain
For Jesus had called them by name and they answered

Drawn like the rivers are drawn to the sea
No turning back for the water cannot help but flow
Once we hear the Savior's call we'll follow wherever he leads
Because of the love He has shown
And because he has called us to go we will answer

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die

For the sake of the call

Not for the sake of a creed or a cause
Not for a dream or a promise
Simply because it is Jesus who calls
And if we believe we'll obey

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at mikesvotd.blogspot.com

 

Mark 1:16-20 (New International Version)

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

 ¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

 ¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.