A New Leader
Hebrews 2:10 (NLT) - God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.
Galatians 5:24-25 (NLT) - Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
You have decided to follow Jesus. He is your leader, now. No human, not even your self, can lead you better than He will.
Jesus is a different kind of leader. He does not want to control you; he wants to give you freedom. He will never be condescending to you, nor distant from you: instead he will pursue you and lift you up. He is patient, not impatient. He is not a leader who humiliates others; he is a leader who humbles himself. He does not make harsh demands for his own gain, but gives selflessly so that you may live fully. He will not maliciously demand obedience from you: he will lead by example. Though he is all-powerful, he is not overbearing. In fact, he wants to empower you. He will lead you through your weakness and call on you to have courage. His desire is to lead you and share life with you. Jesus is a different kind of leader; He fully knows you and loves you and wants to serve you.
Following Jesus is different. It is not a half-hearted notion; it is a whole-hearted devotion. He is not asking for you to reluctantly bow your heart to Him; he is asking you to eagerly give your heart to Him. Following Jesus is a welcomed opportunity to surrender to a life of freedom led by a just and grace-filled master, not a mandatory enlistment to the confines of slavery led by a relentless dictator. Like leaders of your past, you will not be motivated by fear to follow: you will be motivated by love. Rather than grudgingly yield to Him, you will desire to imitate His life and passions. In moments when you want to resist him in defiance, you will find Him steadfast and unmoved in his love for you. Submitting to his authority will bring peace and purpose to your life.
Your new leader, Jesus, wants the two of you to talk, and talking with Jesus is different. Even though he is the leader, he has no formalities when it comes to communication; Jesus invites you to talk with him anytime, anywhere, about anything. He wants to know all about you and what you think about him, and he wants to hear about your joys and hurts, frustrations and needs, successes and sorrows. He listens to you. You listen to Him. The Bible says that you are a friend of God and now you can more easily recognize when he speaks to you. His words will come to you through the Bible, other followers, and prayer. The best relationship between a leader and follower is one of good communication. Trust Jesus to do his part. You do yours.
More: Ephesians 2:2-5, Ephesians 5:1-2