“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” – Matthew 4:18-22 (ESV)

The moment of clarity.  For some believers it comes as soon as we come to Christ.  For others, it takes a while – the individual great awakening being more of a process than a flashpoint moment.  All the same, there comes that moment one day when something in our feeble little minds clicks.  Maybe it’s something read or heard – a conversation, a sermon, a memory, a movie…

The moment of clarity.  The moment we begin to see things as they really are.  The moment we begin to see God for Who He really is.  The moment we realize that the LORD isn’t just real – He is Reality, Existence Itself!  The moment we look at our lives and ask ourselves, “What on earth am I doing?”

For Peter, Andrew, James and John, the moment of clarity was swift.  “Immediately” they left their nets.  Immediately they abandoned their source of income.  Immediately they saw in Jesus Christ the reality of the situation: here was the LORD. Here was something more important than fishing, more important than the security of a profession and steady income.

The more I read these verses, the more astounded I am.  None of them said, “Gee, I dunno… I kinda like working all night, lugging these heavy nets and reeking of fish guts.  Let me pray on it and I’ll get back to you…”  They abandoned it all.  They abandoned the life they knew. 

Immediately.

The moment of clarity.  When they saw Jesus and said, “Yes!” in a most enthusiastic manner.

Now, do not misunderstand what I am saying.  I am not suggesting anybody act in an imprudent fashion.  Don’t march into the office tomorrow, quit your job and say, “OK, God… now what?”  He may just give you directions to the unemployment office.

But… if you sense a call of God on your life (and, dear ones, we each have a call of God on our lives) and you’re doing nothing about it, what’s stopping you?  What do you need to abandon?

Maybe doubt and fear are holding you back.  Maybe wrong priorities are eating away at your time and resources.  Maybe you just need to take that first step.

If it’s a sin you need to abandon, shuck it off.  If it’s a bad habit, break it.  If it’s a lack of enthusiasm, get fired up!  If it’s self-doubt, realize the results aren’t your responsibility (God will take care of that).  If it’s lack of clarity, pray for the LORD to give you clear direction and a vision to pursue.  Just seek God and His will and ways first and go for it.  Abandon whatever is holding you back.  Work hard.  Pray harder.  Find joy in the journey.

And pursue your God given mission with faithfulness.

With joy.

With abandon.

God bless!

© 2013 by Chris Courtney.  All rights reserved.  If you’d like to share this article, please feel free!  If you’d like to reprint / repost on your website or in your church bulletin or publication, please contact me at christophercourtney@comcast.net.  I would be honored to see these words used to God’s glory!