Dead or Alive

Out of fear many of us will stay behind. Jesus has come calling, “Follow me” and many of us have chosen to remain on the shore. The shore is secure. It never changes. It is stable. It is safe. The deep gets shaky. The deep seems too far out. The deep is too unstable. The deep has too many unknowns. I may get wet in the deep. The problem is not that we are afraid of death it is that many of us are afraid of being resurrected. The greater fear for some of us is the fear of being raised from the dead. We like being dead because at least nothing is expected of me. We like being dead because I don’t have to commit. I like being dead because I don’t have to feel emotion, I don’t have to get involved, and I don’t have to run the risk of getting hurt. At the same time being dead is just that being dead! It is not life. It is not love. It is not faith. Jesus comes along and says, “Follow me” and you say, “Nah, I think I’ll settle for my dead existence.”

Accepting the words of Jesus, “Follow me” is an invitation to rise from the dead. It is being filled with life. It is being given a purpose. It is finding in life the treasure that has been hidden for so long. If people do not follow, they remain behind. We must get out of our situation and allow God to put us into a situation where faith is possible. We must be willing to go into the deep with Jesus. This means leaving everything that would hinder responding to the call. It means selling out. It means giving up. It means letting go. The point is: the disobedient cannot have faith. Peter could not convert himself but he could leave his nets. By leaving his nets he was willing to put himself into a situation to be used by God. The road of faith passes through obedience to the call of Christ.