Run, and get your shoes

My husband preached a sermon about following Jesus (OK, all Sergei’s sermons are about following Jesus. Check them out at www.churchinroscoevillage.org). But this one stuck out to me.

He said that a lot of people follow Jesus to get something out of it for themselves. They follow Jesus, the life coach or Jesus, the marriage counselor, or Jesus, the CEO. But when God calls us to follow him, it’s not for our own glory but for his.  We are asked to follow, not lead, and to be fine with wherever he takes us, as long as it’s with him.

Then Sergei used our kids as an example.

Often times when my husband runs errands, he takes a kid or two with him. Our oldest daughters, Elaina and Zoya, usually want details. “Where are we going? Is there a chance I can get some gum?” And after they get the facts they decide whether or not they are going. But Polly, our third daughter with Down syndrome and Moyamoya disease is always ready to go.

“Polly, you want to go with Papa?”

“Yes! Go with Papa! Yeah!” and she runs off to get her shoes.

Polly’s always ready to go with her father because she trusts him. She wants to be with him. She loves him.

Most of the time, Sergei is taking Polly to the grocery store or to drop off books at the library. But there have been times when he has taken her to the doctor for a shot, or even to the hospital for brain surgery. And still, when he asks his little girl if she wants to go with him, he receives a resounding yes!

That’s how we should be with God. Whenever he asks us to go somewhere, regardless of the destination, we should answer with a resounding yes, and run to get our shoes.

I am trying to remember that today.

Life is bumpy. There will be more trials and struggles. But my prayer is that I will simply gather up my family, and move closer to God in those times. My prayer is that I will trust him enough that next time, when he asks me to go somewhere with him that I am unsure of, I will shout yes and run, and get my shoes.