Today’s Lenten Word Meditation comes from John 1:43-45 NRSV:
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
The word, follow (Ἀκολούθει, akoloutheo in Greek), means to follow one who precedes. And in the passage, Jesus asks Phillip to follow him. I wonder if Phillip knew what it meant to follow Jesus.
This morning I sit, hold, and pray with the word, follow. I ask myself when was the last time someone asked me to follow? I think it was a group exercise where the leader asked us to follow her movements. I don’t think any pastor or rabbi or spiritual leader asked me to follow them like Jesus did to Phillip.
During this time of Lent, I wonder if I would follow Jesus to the Cross if Jesus asked or would I be like the other male disciples and bail on him at the end? I hope I can say a firm yes, but I have my doubts… Would you follow?
Pastor Sam
