The purpose of God for man is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. He calls on all that labour and are heavy laden to come to Him and He will give them rest. Thereafter, such that are relieved of their labour and heavy laden should deliberately and voluntarily take the yoke of Jesus and learn of Him. The yoke of Jesus will compel you to walk in same step as Jesus and you have the same destination as Jesus. This means that you must throw aside your own will and desires and embrace the will of God.
Following His glorious steps is a faith walk. It is not by sight, human strength and wisdom of the flesh.
It means to follow a narrow, unfamiliar and unpopular road. It is only few people that find it. Those who find it must be willing to travel light and alone with Jesus (Matthew 7:14).
In Mark 10:17-27, a young rich man desiring to enter into life, came to Jesus, asking what he would do to inherit eternal Life. Jesus pointed out what he should do before following Him. He went away sad and sorrowful. He preferred to be allowed to follow Jesus still clinging to and trusting in his riches, credentials, qualifications, titles, natural talents, tradition, etc.
Beloved, the way is so narrow that no extra luggage can pass through. You need to drop your luggage and go alone with Jesus, trusting Him to care for you. The way of Jesus is so narrow that it is compared with the eye of a needle. And it is so rigid that it cannot be manipulated and adjusted. Jesus says that it is easier for a camel, despite the ruggedness of its shape, to pass through the eye of a needle than for a man who clings to his possessions; riches, credentials, qualifications, titles, natural talents, traditions, to enter into the kingdom of God. The lord declared that whosoever saves his life shall loose it, but whosoever loses his life for His sake shall find it (Mark 10:29-30).
Following the glorious steps of Jesus and putting on the yoke of Jesus will not permit you to look back (Luke 9:57-62).
Jesus lived as a pilgrim here on earth and so must all that desire to follow Him.
Lack of comfort and social amenities must not drive you away from the place of God’s posting for your life. Remember! "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath no where to lay His head".
In that same scripture, Jesus told another man to follow Him, but He had too much attachment to the tradition of his fathers and the standards of this world. He was entangled therein so much that it became more important to him that time than to follow Jesus. He was not willing to let Jesus go but he was also not willing to let go that tradition either. In Matt. 4:19, the same thing was said to peter and Andrew and they left their nets boats immediately and followed Jesus. As soon as you rate anything more important in your heart as to override your loyalty to Jesus, that become an idol and you will be disqualified.
Some desire to follow Jesus but they seek permission to get married first. Some seriously desire to serve God but they would like to work and build a house or buy a car first; some seek permission to reach the top of the educational ladder first, or to work until they reach a pensionable level first. Whatever you seek to do first as a priority before you can consider following Jesus disqualifies you. No one can serve two maters. Our God is a jealous God. He does not tolerate rivals.
Yet another man willingly said: "Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, who are at my house. Anything that you feel like doing FIRST before Jesus is a stumbling block; and the attitude to put the things of the kingdom as secondary is the same attitude, which may eventually disqualify you. It amounts to looking back. Remember lot’s wife! Jesus said, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God".
This involves a consistent looking at and unto Jesus, studying His lifestyle and following His footsteps all through the journey, having allowed old things to pass away. Jesus is our pattern for Life and Service.
