I guess you know you’re “old” when you catch yourself saying things like “that’s what the kids say these days.” But, have y’all heard what the kids say these days? I hear it all the time. They say, “I’m going with …”

It’s not even a complete sentence. It’s like they just drop off mid-sentence and leave it completely open ended. I’m going with …

You’re going to retreat, oh well I’m going with …

You’re going down to the river, I’m going with …

You’re jumping in the pool, I’m going with …

That’s it. No further questions. No further details. Simply, I’m going with.

And girls, I’m finally beginning to understand, this is exactly what Jesus asks of us. He’s asking us to make a clear cut decision to always go with … Yes, leave the dot, dot, dot. Oh Jesus loves the dot, dot, dot in your life.

But maybe you don’t. You don’t like that cliff hanger of uncertainty. You don’t like the stepping out without looking down. You don’t like the moving forward without a certain end destination and GPS instructions.

If Jesus showed up this morning and said, “Come on girl, you wanna go with …”, you would be like “that’s cool Jesus, but where exactly are we going, how are we going to get there, how long is it going to take, and what’s the weight limit on my luggage because I need to drag all the things with me.

And I don’t know about you, but Jesus has never, not even once, given me those details in advance. He’s never shown up with a complete itinerary, packing list, guaranteed weather forecast, and pre-paid funds for the trip. Every single awesome thing I’ve ever stepped into was a roll of the dice, a risk, a chance, and an open ended invitation to simply go with …

Yes, with the dot, dot, dot.

Matthew 4: 18-22 “One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers – Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew – throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, repairing their nets. And he called to them to come too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.”

Now there’s a whole lot of dot, dot, dot there. Jesus didn’t tell them where he was going, he simply said come, follow me. Their simple decision to GO WITH, radically changed the trajectory of their lives.

And I’m telling you right now girl, your simple decision to tell Jesus today, “hey, I’m going with …” will radically change the trajectory of your life! Where will he take you? How will you get there? How long will it take? I have no idea, and neither will you, but Sis, you’re not supposed to know!

You’re trying to figure this thing out, when in fact, it is un-figure-out-able. (Is that a word?)

All you need to say is, “I’m going with …” (Is that a complete sentence?) It doesn’t matter. Jesus does the creating here. Jesus also works the completion here. Your willing spirit needs to move your shaking boots, and do exactly what these fishermen did, drop it and go.

Drop what?

Drop your excuses.
Drop your expectations.
Drop your entitlements.

Jesus, wherever you’re going, however you’re getting there, whatever you’re doing along the way, and for however long it takes, I’m going with!

What happens when you wait for all the details? What happens when you insist on dragging all your crap with you and traveling through life heavy? (You know, traveling heavy … the opposite of traveling light. You’ve got a checked bag 7 pounds over the weight limit, you’ve got your personal item bulging at the seams, and you’ve got your carry on bag you’re just praying will still fit in the overhead compartment. Oh wait, is that just me? That’s me isn’t it? Yes, I’m the girl at the airport ticketing counter with her suitcase completely unpacked, trying to take something out and put in another bag so I’m not over weight, because I’m ALWAYS OVER WEIGHT.)

Traveling heavy is NOT an option with Jesus. The fishermen had to not only leave their nets, but they had to leave their catch. The full story is Peter and Andrew had just pulled in the biggest catch of their lives. It was a catch so big, it was breaking their nets and sinking their boats. As professional fishermen, this was the success of a lifetime. It was a huge paycheck! It was what they had always worked for. But immediately after getting their over weight boats to shore with an overflowing abundance of what they had always wanted, they had to leave it.

Yes, walk away and leave it. Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” Travel light boys, we’re going now.

But there was one who couldn’t imagine going without his baggage. One who just couldn’t bare to live in that open ended sentence of “I’m going with …”

In Matthew 19, a very rich man comes to Jesus and asks what he must do to get eternal life. Jesus say in 21-22, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Sounds familiar right?) When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

Understand, this man was being invited, just as the fisherman had. He was given the opportunity to become one of Jesus’ disciples. He was invited into the inner circle where he would not only witness miracles, but he would be a vessel for God’s power and he himself would be part of those miracles. But it was the dot, dot, dot that got him.

He couldn’t give up all his baggage. He couldn’t travel light. He couldn’t leave that sentence incomplete and open-ended. He couldn’t leave all he had to follow Jesus into some unknown. So, he essentially stood at the ticket counter with overweight bags, refusing to lighten his load, and he missed his flight.

Who knows what this rich young man could have done on his journey with Jesus? Who knows the good plans God had for him to be part of Jesus’ ministry here on earth? Who knows the waters he could have walked on? Who knows the miracles he could have been part of? Who knows the life-changing journey it could have been? But we don’t know because he didn’t go.

And girl, you won’t know if you don’t go.
You won’t know if you don’t drop your baggage and travel light.
You won’t know if you don’t accept your dot, dot, dot with grace and wonder and just let it unfold!

The dot, dot, dot in a sentence is called an ellipsis. It’s the suspension point. This indicates an unfinished thought, a leading statement, a slight pause, or that nervous awkward silence.

Jesus says, “hey, come follow me” and you’re nervously waiting for more details. Oh the suspense. Okay Jesus, complete the sentence. You cut out on me there.

Do you ever feel like Jesus just cut out on you? Like he’s guiding you, then the call just drops. Silence. Pause. Okayyyyyyy. I’m waiting for more details please.

And really, the call has ended, and the journey has begun. You’re either going with … or you’re staying here. Have you ever heard someone say “they were called by God for a purpose.” Well my sister, I’m here to tell you without a single doubt or hesitation. You have been called. But, the call has ended, there are no further details. The journey must begin.

But you’re still not sure where you’re going? Doing what?

Those are details you are not afforded. And why? Because maybe your human mind couldn’t possibly comprehend the good plans God has for you, and you would dismiss yourself from the assignment, believing you’re not good enough, if you knew. So … you simply won’t know. You will just be invited.

Stop trying to figure this out. And stop trying to drag all your crap with you.

And maybe, just maybe, get a little spunk in you and start living your life with a feisty zest and invite yourself into everything Jesus is doing. Did you know you don’t even have to wait for the “follow me”? For real, look at Peter on the boat. He sees Jesus walking on water and he says, “Hey, Jesus, I’m going with …”

For real, Peter invited himself into the awesome Jesus was doing. You can do that! Hot dang, I want to be part of that! I want to do awesome things with Jesus! I want in on that adventure.

Because of Peter’s boldness, he got to do what no one else on the boat did. He got to walk on water. Not because he was the best, the strongest, the smartest, the most equipped, or had the details of water walking down, simply because he was bold enough to say “I’m going with …” Yes, dot, dot, dot.

I don’t know how this is going to work. This doesn’t make sense to me. I’m not sure I’m really equipped. But I just want to be part of this!

I’m going with …

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