Follow the Leader

Scriptures: “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10:4)

Many years ago, an old Italian lady flew from Milan to the United States to visit her son. He lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Her flight took her from Milan to New York first where she then connected to a domestic flight that would take her to her son.

The domestic flight made a stop at Tampa before flying to Fort Lauderdale. As the airplane was landing in Tampa, she saw the swinging palm trees, the blue clear ocean water and the beautiful beach, just like what her son had told her, she thought to herself, “This must be it. I’ve got to get off the plane.” So, when the airplane was unloading and reloading passengers and cargo, she wandered off into the airport and was looking for her son who was supposed to meet her right there in the airport.

When the airplane completed the work there, the flight attendants found that the old lady was missing. Knowing that she did not speak English at all, they were worried. So, they set out to look for this old lady and, at the same time, found someone who spoke Italian to ask her to report to the counter through the PA system in the airport. After 2 hours of efforts, they finally found her, exhausted from the walk around the airport trying to find her son, and brought her back to the airplane and took her to her final destination, Ft. Lauderdale.

She later told her son that, because she didn’t understand a word what Captain was saying, she could only rely on her own judgment to determine if she reached her destination. I can’t imagine how she must have felt when she was lost in the airport and not having her loved ones beside her. What an ordeal for her!

Life has often been viewed as a journey. But, for Christians, sometimes I would like to think that we are like a traveling group inside this airplane with our Lord Jesus being the Captain, taking us all to that eternal destination where He has prepared dwelling places for us. We are in good hands!

That is, if we stay with Him. So often, just like this old lady, we rely on our understanding and our observations and do not pay attention to what He is telling us. So, we decided to get off the plane before our final destination. As the Bible puts it, “each of us has turned to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6) and we left our Lord and His chartered course. Then, we wonder why our lives are not the same as what our Lord has promised. We look hard for the blessings promised and find none; we go all the places to find that familiar face and find none; we are exhausted and find no rest; and we cry to God, “What is happening? Why aren’t you meeting me here?”

But God is good. He sends His children and servants to look for us. He calls us through every situation and opportunities. Like the shepherd looking for the lost sheet, He goes over mountains and valleys, through bushes and creeks, search every cave and every rock, and call out our names, wanting to find us. He never quits until He finds us.

I am thankful that He never gives up on us, and that He is always faithful and committed to taking us where He wants us to be. But, I guess we could have saved everyone a lot of troubles if we had been attentive to our leader’s directive and been able to understand and follow what He is trying to tell us. Jesus said, ”I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Prayer Requests:
For those who travels in foreign land

Prayer:
Our gracious Lord, thank You for being our Shepherd who protects us from all evil and guides us in and out and find green pasture. Help us to be solely attentive to You for Your guidance and directives so we may stay on the path of righteousness and bear much fruit to give glory to our Heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!