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Great Danes are one of several breeds know as “Velcro Dogs.” Acknowledging this fact while reading about the breed is very different from experiencing it firsthand! After I returned home from three days in the hospital last week, my normally clingy pups have been extremely jumpy and stick to me like glue. If I move a muscle, they are on their feet ready to follow me wherever I’m headed. They’re on high alert and no space is off limits! I’ve become the Pied Piper- in truth, I already was but even more so now! Their behavior has made me wonder if I’m quite so attentive, responsive, attuned to my Master, Jesus Christ?

“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Galatians 5:25 NLT https://www.bible.com/116/gal.5.25.nlt)

“Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus- anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on. Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus. Anywhere He leads me, I will follow on.”

I remember singing this chorus often as a child at my grandparent’s church. The pianist had a limited repertoire but the songs she knew, we all knew well! Before big screens projected words, hymnals in every pew were staple worship material. I remember how odd it seemed when a special chorus was printed in the bulletin insert. We all knew the hymns and those of us who couldn’t read music could follow along without having to worry about the notes! We’d heard our parents singing those songs and we sang along before we could read a word! We relied on their example.

Jesus had twelve disciples among the many who followed Him who were allowed to be with Him. They experienced His day to day routines much like my Danes share mine- up close and personal! Jesus did not wait for them to ask or observe. When there was a teachable moment, He framed His lesson with His actions, setting an example for them and for us to follow.

“After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” (John 13:12-17 NLT https://www.bible.com/116/jhn.13.12-17.nlt)

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” (James 1:22, 25 NLT https://www.bible.com/116/jas.1.22,25.nlt)

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” (1 Peter 2:21-23 NLT https://www.bible.com/116/1pe.2.21-23.nlt)

Peter and James echo the words of Jesus recorded by John. When you know what you should do, God will bless you for doing it, but it might not always be easy! One thing we can know for sure is that we will never experience any pain or hardship that Jesus has not taken on Himself and carried on our behalf.

“Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves.

Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.

And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 18-21 NLT https://www.bible.com/116/2co.5.14-15,18-21.nlt)

Jesus called His first disciples with a single command. “Follow Me.” His call today is the same. If the things of this world are shadows of heavenly things, then may I be a shadow of Jesus, following Him so closely that His cross overshadows me!