Follow Me Week 1

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Today’s the day!  You’re Follow Me discipleship journey has officially begun!  Hopefully you have taken the time to read through Part 1 and have a solid understanding of the why, what, and how’s of this resource.  If so, you are now ready to begin tackling Part 2: Starting to Follow Jesus.  Just in case you didn’t have time to read through Part 1, let me give a quick overview of what this Follow Me journey is going to look like.  There are 5 parts to the book.  Part 1, as I just mentioned, lays out the framework for this resource.  It includes a prologue, an introduction to the study, and even a simple guide on how to use this book.  Part 5 is full of additional resources to help you throughout this study and beyond!  But parts 2, 3, & 4 make up the meat of the book!  In each of these parts you will find 4 different chapters, each tackling a different topic, as well as 5 daily devotions to go along with each chapter.  Each week you will want to take time to read the week's chapter and then take time daily to work through the devos.  

This week we will be diving deep into one of the biggest  questions we could ever ask: Who is God?  I would venture to say that most of us, if not all of us, have at one point in our lives asked a question similar to “Who is God?” or maybe even “Is there EVEN a God?”  

It’s a question that humanity has wrestled with forever.  Some turn to nature, some to spirituality, and others to philosophy.  But the Christian faith makes a bold claim: there isn’t just a "higher power" out there—there is one true God. The God of the Bible. And once you get to know Him, like really know Him, you’ll recognize His presence in your life as clearly as you would a best friend’s face in a crowd.

I find it quite interesting that even though there is a lot of talk of “good vibes” and “higher powers” in society today, there is also a staunch belief by many that there is no such thing as “god.”  How can someone say “there is no god” one moment and ask for “good vibes” to be sent their way the next?  This paradox points to a truth I think we all, no matter our belief system, can agree on - we are all searching for something!  The difference in the search lies in where - or in whom - we are searching!  

You see, at the core of every human life lies a quiet yearning. Whether we name it or not, we are all searching—for something or someone. Some of us seek love that lasts, others search for truth, for justice, for healing, for peace. We strive for purpose, connection, belonging. Our hearts are restless, always looking for that next thing that might finally satisfy the ache and longing inside.

Would it surprise you to know that this desire to search and seek isn’t just a part of human nature but that it has a divine nature to it?  You see, the Bible paints a picture of a God who searches too—not because He is lost, but because He refuses to leave US lost. From the very beginning, God has been a seeker. In Genesis Chapter 3, in the garden of Eden, He sought out Adam and Eve when He called out, “Where are you?” Not because He didn’t know where they were physically, but because he desired to be with them relationally.  In Luke chapter 15 Jesus tells three different parables which demonstrate for us how God intentionally seeks us!  First he tells of a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to find the one who had wandered off.  Next he tells of of a woman who turns her house upside down to recover a singular lost coin.  And finally, he tells of a father who unashamedly runs to meet his wayward son, throwing a party in his honor. Each of these parables are not stories of passive waiting—they are images of active, passionate pursuit.

Friends, that means that our searching reflects His. The longing in our hearts to seek is not there because we are hopeless.  No, that desire to search for more is the echo of God’s voice calling us back to Him.  Why?  Because the love we seek, the meaning we crave, the peace we chase—they are not illusions but rather fragments of a bigger truth: we were made for more, and that more is found in relationship with God, the One who is already looking for us.

Isn’t that interesting?  Even in our most divided state - we are all on a similar mission: we are all seeking, we are all searching.  And when we come to the place where we decide to receive salvation - having acknowledged that we are sinners in need of a savior, believing in our hearts that He died on the cross on our behalf and rose from the grave overcoming death itself, our searching and God’s seeking meet. And it is in that moment that we find that what we were looking for was not a thing, but a Person. And not only that but we discover we were never alone in the search.

So that brings us to the next big question - at the end of our searching, how do we know we have found and are following the one true God and not just another version of a “higher power”? Well, it starts with relationship. The Bible tells us God is not distant or generic—He's deeply personal. He created us, knows us by name, and desires to walk with us daily. The same way you instantly know your best friend in a crowd, you can learn to recognize the voice and heart of God because there’s only one like Him.

And here’s the beautiful thing: not only is God the Creator and the One True God, but He sent His Son—Jesus—who is not just a messenger or prophet, but God in the flesh. Jesus is the “one and only Son,” not just because He was born miraculously, but because He shares the same divine nature as God the Father. Fully God. Fully man.

Does that blow your mind and stretch your understanding a bit?  I mean, how can someone be both fully God AND fully man!?!?  But friends, can I challenge your thinking and your innate need to know and understand all the things by saying - our lack of ability to fully grasp and understand God  is a good thing?  I mean, isn’t that kind of the point? That God is bigger than us and He is bigger than our logic? Afterall, we don’t need a god we can explain. We need a God who can carry us through life’s heaviest moments with peace, wisdom, and power.

Don’t believe me?  Well definitely don’t take my word for it!  This week in our daily study we will continue to unpack how scripture backs all this up—from the Old Testament's declarations to the New Testament’s witness of Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and return to Heaven. We’re going to get to know God personally. Not just as an idea or a distant figure, but as the One who loves you, walks with you, and never lets you go.

We are going to dive deeper into God as our friend, our helper and our hope.  And we will reflect on how He is more than enough and why He is definitely the ultimate GOAT - beating out Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, and Tom Brady with ease!  

But above all of that we are going to discover Him as the ultimate seeker.  Where we may be prone to seek accolades He has always been laser focused on seeking one invaluable possession - relationship with you and me!  And I can’t wait for you to discover the incredible gift and treasure you received when you made that decision to say Yes to following Him.  

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LINK TO KIDS CHAPTER

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LINK TO WEEK TWO

week 1.pdf

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