Immediately.

From Merriam-Webster 

1 : without interval of time : STRAIGHTWAY

2: in direct connection or relation : DIRECTLY

To use the phrase Pastor Brian spoke this morning; “Overthinking and analysis paralysis”. That would be me. I hit the pause button and default into my planning nature, which can be a generally useful tool in life. However, when I default rather than move immediately, I am the fool in Proverbs 26:11 ‘Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.’

I let my fears, hang ups and doubts launch me into a time-wasting spin. What if. What if. What if. Time keeps marching on and my marching slows down, sometimes stopping completely. Our enemy, Satan knows our patterns and the lies begin. “Too late, you blew the opportunity”. “Why bother, you don’t know what you’re doing anyway”.

Too old. Too young. Not smart enough. I could fill volumes of the lies I’ve told myself, that I heard from others and from the world around me. 

As we journey through the Gospel of Mark as a church family, we did not hear Jesus tell Simon and Andrew in Mark 1:17-18 to follow after they made preparations No. He said to follow him, and they dropped their nets immediately. On the spot, no litany of questions, excuses and lengthy planning. Straightaway and directly. They dropped their nets and followed. 

And in Mark 1:19-20, ‘And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.’ This would be even more challenging for me. My sweet mom is a few weeks away from her 94th birthday. We live next door and although Helen is independent, our presence is somewhat needed at this time. God has not called me to leave, and yet if he did, would I drop the net representing my mom? Oh my. My heart would feel completely torn in two.

We all have nets in our lives. Relational, financial, emotional, physical, and mental nets. No joke. Sometimes our nets are bursting with the best things in life. Some of our nets are destructive nets we’ve woven ourselves. But here’s the thing. Because I love Jesus and choose to follow Him, I want my heart, mind, body and relationships to be centered on following Him, over the net in my hands.

So what nets are you holding? Is it your career and bank account? Is it your family and friends? Maybe it’s your entertainment and pleasure seeking, or the endless addictions at all of our fingertips. Food, drugs, alcohol, social media, the gym or pornography. Gambling, gossiping and gluttony. All of these and more.

No shortage of nets in 2025. There is an extreme shortage of people who are called, who hear and look up into the face of Jesus, who drop the net in their hands and follow. I want to see those statistics upended. I want to see the numbers grow as the people of God, the true Christ followers, immediately drop their nets and follow.

Are you coming? Please leave a comment or email us at 2coronefour@gmail.com