(32) And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed: and as they followed they were afraid: And he took again the twelve disciples and began to tell them what things should happen unto him. (Mark 10:32 KJV)

Do you know what I love about this verse of scripture right here? I love the fact that it perfectly summarizes even today our walk with the Lord.  As we follow Jesus he will both show us things that will both amaze us and we will follow him through some things that will make us afraid. There is some things that I want for you to pay attention to. This verse starts off telling us that they were on the way to Jerusalem and that Jesus had went before them, in other words Jesus was preparing the way for them to get to Jerusalem. Jerusalem means the City of Peace. So now we know that Jesus was leading them to a place of peace. Did you know that as you follow Jesus that he is leading you to a place of peace, but he has to lead us through things that will cause us to both be amazed and through things that will cause us to be afraid. The word amaze means to fill with astonishment, it means to surprise or to take someone’s breath away; to overwhelm with surprise and sudden wonder. This is the part of the journey that we all love. The part when we follow Jesus and we just see blessings after blessings. We see the promotion at the job, we meet our spouses, children are born, we obtain our degree, our ministry starts to take off. It’s in these times that he amazes us with his provision, it’s in these times that we see the hand of God on our lives, and it’s in these times when we are more confident in following Jesus because we have no doubt that he’s leading us to that place of peace.

Then there are those times that as we follow Jesus we become afraid. It’s that feeling of fear or anxiety, it’s a place of anxiety and uncertainty. It’s that place of where your approaching forty and you still aren’t married, it’s that place where your marriage is falling apart and you’re not sure if God can resurrect it. It’s that place where lay offs take place and it’s been a minute since your last job. It’s that place where sickness rears its ugly head and it’s a place where you question were you even called into the ministry in the first place. When we follow Jesus in these times when we are afraid it’s easy to forget the one who is leading us in the first place. It’s in these times that we neither see nor feel the hand of God on our lives. Just because you don’t see it does not mean that it is not there. Remember that were following someone who has already prepared the way. Jesus our Lord will never lead us into something that will spiritually kill us. Even though it may feel that way from time to time just trust that he’s leading you to a place of peace.

It’s easy to follow Jesus when he’s taking us through the things that amazes us, but do you want to know a little secret. It’s in the times when were following him when he brings us to things that makes us afraid that we really draw closer to him. It’s in these times where our prayer life deepens and we learn to depend on his wisdom and not our own. I believe that it’s in these times that Jesus takes us by the hand more so and guides us back into that place of amazement. God is leading each one of us down our own journey and in that journey there will be things that will both amaze us and there will be things that will cause us to be afraid. Do you know what though it’s okay to be both amazed and afraid that’s just different seasons in our lives, but trust in the one who is leading you. He knows what he is doing and he knows what he’s leading you to.

God’s blessings,

Aqua