I follow Jesus because I’d be lost without Him. When I look around at this world and see the evil pervading it, I know I need someone to guide me through. As I encounter difficulties in life, I’ve often asked, “How do people without Christ get through the tough times? Where do they find their comfort, peace, and strength? The answer is typically in temporary medications like alcohol, drugs, sex, entertainment, or other vices.
The problem is the letdown on the other side is even worse because the problems don’t go away. Numbing the pain is not the same thing as having someone carry it for you. Jesus is my rock, and my refuge, my shelter from the storm (Psalm 18:1-2). He’s my deliverer, comforter, and Savior (Psalm 23:1-4; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Isaiah 12:2). I am nothing without Him.
There is a perfect and holy God who loves us. That’s the good news. The bad news is we can never live up to His standards because we aren’t perfect like He is. A holy and righteous God could never tolerate looking at people that violate His love and perfection. Thankfully, He provided a way for us to come to Him by sending His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. Because of the shed blood of Christ, our sins are covered, and we can enjoy fellowship with the almighty and faultless God. Jesus did not have to die on my behalf. He chose to because of His love for me. I don’t deserve that kind of grace, but He gave it anyway. I could never repay Him. All I have to offer is my life, so I joyfully surrender it to Him.
Those of us who are committed to Christ follow Him because He chose us (John 15:16; Romans 8:29-30). We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Following Jesus promises no earthly rewards. Anyone who tells you otherwise is proclaiming a gospel other than the one of Christ. in fact, the only thing Jesus promised for this life was trouble (John 16:33). I follow Jesus because once I tasted His presence in my life, there was no longer an option to not follow Him. He is the fulfillment of every desire we have. We were created to worship Him. it’s built into our DNA. To reject Christ is to reject our reason for existence. Who wants to live that way? I follow Jesus because nothing else compares to the love, grace, and mercy of my Lord. Life without Him would be meaningless and unbearable. Jesus is all I want and need.
Why do you follow Jesus? If you haven’t surrendered your life to Him, why not? Who else will offer you the forgiveness of your sins, unconditional love, and perfect joy and peace? You have nowhere else to turn. This life will end, and when it does, all that will matter is what you’ve decided about the lordship of Jesus Christ. He is Lord. That debate was settled when He rose from the grave and defeated death itself. You don’t get to decide whether He is Lord, you only get to choose to accept Him or to reject Him. The choice is yours, but my friend, choose wisely. I choose to follow Jesus.