A frequent question I am asked: “How do I follow Jesus?” Life is a journey. Throughout the Bible, “journey” is a common image of the spiritual life. Each follower of Christ has made a life journey with Christ. Let me roll out the map for you.
NOTE: 1) I do not roll out a regulated path. The path is for you and Jesus to work out together. 2) Also, I do not roll out a human destination; your destiny in Christ a personal vision found in your partnership with Jesus.
I just rolled out a map so you can get a sense of balance, so you can get the big picture. It’s up to you to fill in the details. The map is made up of three concentric circles:
- The inner circle, Who I am in Christ.
- The outer circle, What God wants for me.
- The between circle, How I get there through my partnership with the Holy Spirit.
I can tell you with utter certainty that the most significant place on the map, the place most often neglected, and the place that demands your fullest attention, is the center circle, “Who I am in Christ.”
Jesus points to the answer to the question when he asks us, “Who do you say that am?” (Matthew 16:15) When you know who Jesus is and what he means to you, you begin to understand who you are in Christ.
Copyright © Richard Leslie Parrott, Ph.D.