Moment By Moment

Moment By Moment

Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go! Mt 8:19

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Matthew 8:18-22 (NIV)



18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

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I was just a young boy, about 10 years old, when I heard a story that has been on

my mind ever since. An elderly woman conducted a Christian Education class with

several teenaged girls. Week after week they came together to study Scripture and

learned to apply it to the challenges they faced throughout the week. They grew to

love their teacher. She was non-judgemental, in tune with their concerns and

well able to guide them through the Book she loved.

At year-end, the girls were commenting on the fact that they would be moving on to

a new class in the fall. They were happy, as teenagers, to be growing and moving

onward. However, they also expressed their great appreciation for the impact that

their teacher had made on their lives.

One of the girls made the statement, “I’d give the world to be a Christian like you!”

The elderly woman did not look up, but quietly responded, “That’s what it costs.”

I don’t think Jesus is being cruel when he asks the one man to leave the dead to bury

the dead. I rather think that, just like me, the man was prepared to follow Jesus but

he wanted to keep back a little of what had become unnecessarily important to him.

In effect, the man seems to be saying, “I will follow You but I have to wait until my

father dies.” Maybe you are not willing to give up a relationship or the style of

living to which you have become accustomed. Maybe your challenge is a

secret sin that you are not prepared to do battle with.

Today provides each of us with the opportunity to make choices. Living one

moment at a time, one choice at a time, may we pray ‘deliver me from temptation.’

Personally ask God for the strength you need, moment by moment, choice by choice.

 

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Heavenly Father, thank You so much for filling my life with friends that share so

much of Your love with me. I find that I am at my best when I am living in

Your presence. Help me to walk more closely with You. Amen.

- Noel Churchman

Noel was the Executive Director of Christian Horizons form 1976 to 2001. The devotionals we will be using are from a book he wrote in 2005 called “Walking with God”. Noel’s reflections are grounded in his experiences as an educator, and provider of supports for individuals with exceptional needs as well as his life as a dedicated follower of Christ.