Fall 1982
I Will Follow You
Julie Grove
Pinecrest Graduate

There is a chorus we sing that says, “Though the winds blow, the storms come, the tempest do rage, I will follow You, to Thee my life is due; I’ll only follow you.” This is the desire in the heart of God today as it was in the days of old, to have a people who would serve Him regardless of situations and circumstances they might find themselves in. A people who will cling to the faithfulness of God and His ability to fulfill His Word, regardless of the temporary circumstances.

We hear so much today about prosperity and of living a life free from suffering, that when God allows testings and trials to come into our lives, we feel we have failed God, fallen short, and lacked faith to believe His Word. God does desire to heal and bless His people, but this does not exempt us from suffering, famine, persecution, etc. Paul says in II Timothy 3:10-12 and in Romans 8:35-39 that those who serve the Lord will suffer these things, but that none of these things will separate us from the love of Christ. God wants our reaction in times of trial to be one of patience. Patience simply means “to never give up,” having a heart of determination and faith in who God is, and His ability to fulfill His Word. We see this faith and determination in operation in so many of the men and women in the Bible.

Abraham, for example, was promised that he would be a father of many nations, yet for many years following the promise, Abraham and Sarah were childless. Then when their promised son, Isaac, was born, Abraham was commanded to slay him upon an altar. All through these “contrary” circumstances, Abraham trusted and obeyed God. The Bible says that Abraham “rose up early in the morning” to sacrifice his son. “Rising up early” indicates that he responded quickly to the command of God. Abraham believed and stood, not on the promises, but upon the God of the promises. Even though everything appeared contrary and impossible, Abraham determined in his heart to trust in the faithfulness of his God. And God did fulfill His promises to Abraham.

Looking at the life of Joseph, we see that he was promised in a prophetic dream to be in a position of authority and greatness above his brothers, and yet he was stripped of his coat, cast into a pit, falsely accused, and imprisoned for several years. But Joseph never became bitter in his heart nor forsook the Lord. Instead he embraced each situation and in it saw the faithfulness of God fulfilled in his life.

God desires to build within our lives that same attitude as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when they were to be burned in the fiery furnace for their faith in God. Their response was, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). It was in this furnace that they found their deliverance, for the Bible records that God Himself walked with them in the midst of the fire and they were loosed from their bonds. We, too, can know and be assured that He will never leave us nor forsake us in our times of testing. All these things are meant to strengthen us and make us more determined in our hearts to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, who is faithful to fulfill His purpose in and through our lives.