Thought for the Week

In this sunny weather, many of us head to a beach, perhaps to enjoy a swim or just have a leisurely stroll.

What better way to relax and enjoy Argyll’s spectacular scenery?

At the start of his account of Jesus’ life, Mark tells how Jesus walked along the beach beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw two fishermen, brothers Simon and Andrew, hard at work.

Jesus stopped to talk with them, not about the weather or how successful their fishing was that day, but to call them to follow him. Jesus then walked a little further along the beach and called James and John, another two brothers who were also fishermen, to follow him too.

They knew exactly what Jesus was calling them to do. It was radical and life changing. He wanted them to leave their old way of life of catching fish to start on a completely new way of life of following him.

Things would never be the same for them again. Old attitudes, lifestyles and ambitions had to be abandoned to go the Jesus way.

Yet, without hesitation, they made the choice to leave everything to follow Jesus.

Since then, many have heard Jesus call them – not audibly in person, but in the Bible – the trustworthy, accurate, eyewitness record of Jesus’ words – and have made the choice to follow him, trusting him not just for this life, but also for eternity. It was the best decision we ever made.

As you next walk along our beautiful coastline, remember Jesus meeting the brothers and ask yourself, have I responded to Jesus and started to follow him as my Saviour and Lord?

Dr Rodger Crooks, Free Church of Scotland, Lochgilphead and Tarbert.