Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. Unedited. The prompt this week is … Determine.
Determine is defined as: “to settle or decide” (dictionary.com).
It was at a young age that I determined to follow Jesus. It was one summer at Vacation Bible School (VBS), and a moment I have never forgotten. In the downstairs of an old church in the Bronx, as Sis. Mavis Conti presented Jesus in the most beautiful, gentle, and powerful of ways. The decision was made, and my heart determined.
Granted it’s was an up and down journey for many years, but the decision remained faithful to me and always pulled me back.
As the years have passed, my determination has grown, maybe it’s where my stubborn streak actually works for my benefit instead of my detriment.
In these days of changes, challenges, and uncertainties, I am determined to remain faithful to God, to seek Him for wisdom and guidance, and follow Him closely.
To remain faithful in following after Jesus will require determination and intentionality. It will not happen by accident or casually.
Jesus’ words were not easy for people to follow when He walked the earth. Many walked away. Jesus asked His disciples, “You do not want to go away also, do you?†(John 6:67, NASB).
Peter’s response is for us to remember:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.†(John 6:68-69, NASB)
He still has the words of eternal life.
He still is the Holy One of God.Â
Determine to follow Him.
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
Today I am joining …
Joanne, i love your emphasis on determining to follow Christ. this is no mindless decision we’ve made and one that has changed our lives. i’m so grateful.
and i believe He is determined to hold on to us and love us right into the Kingdom. thank You, Jesus.
Linda, yes (!), He is determined to hold onto each one of His own. And now your comment has me humming the old song, “He Holds My Hand” 🙂
Yes, it does take determination to continue following Jesus and walking faithfully with him, but it is definitely worth it!
It is worth everything. Linda’s comment above brought to mind the words of the old hymn, He Holds My Hand. However, your comment brings to mind the words to the old hymn, “It Will Be Worth It All.”
“It will be worth it all
when we see Jesus!
Life’s trials will seem so small
when we see Christ.
One glimpse of his dear face,
all sorrow will erase.
So, bravely run the race
till we see Christ.”
Great blog. I was saved at age thirteen and I too have had many ups and downs over the years and I am determined to have a closer relationship with God in 2022.
Terri #7 FMF
May the Lord keep us all determined to walk with Him!
As I was reading this, the song I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. Yes, it takes determination to remain faithful to our commitment to follow Jesus. I agree with you when you say it is our decision and determination to follow Him that pulls us back when life gets challenging. Great post.
Yvonne, I am so grateful God is faithful to us, even when we sometimes lose our way. As Linda commented above, “He is determined to hold on to us and love us right into the Kingdom.” We have a loving and determined God.
Don’t know how it came to be
that I’d come to believe;
perhaps I napped beneath a tree,
and God helped me receive
some kind of inkling of the truth
in my beer-soaked doze
that others get in bright-eyed youth,
and if so, I suppose
that He found purpose, after all,
to introduce His Son
to a bloke who’d daily fall,
a wannabe beach bum
who never figured out that beach
is, in Alice, out of reach.
Andrew, whether young or old, it remains a mystery how our God pursues each one of us. It is amazing how He writes His story in each of our lives and it is always by His grace. I’m grateful He found you beneath that tree 🙂
Well stated, Joanne, “I am determined to remain faithful to God, to seek Him for wisdom and guidance, and follow Him closely.” And I appreciated the Invitation Medley too.
To remain faithful in following after Jesus will require determination and intentionality. It will not happen by accident or casually. Intentionality determines your direction; well said.
Thanks for sharing a bit of your testimony today. Several of us did:) I accepted Christ when I was 12….and love to talk about it whenever I get the chance!
I realized how important it is to remember the decision we made. It made me realize how faithful the Lord has been to me in my life, even when I was faithless.
In spite of the hardship He faced, Jesus was “determined” to fulfill His calling–to give Himself to save us. Thus, we are called to determine our decision to follow and serve Him. Thank you for this inspiring message of faith.
Just beautiful Joanne. I am touched by your words today. Blessings.
FMF#15