April 18 | What It Means to Follow

Today’s readings from 2 Samuel 3–5 and Luke 14:25–35 invite us to consider what it means to truly follow and how direction, not proximity, shapes our relationship with God over time. Both passages slow us down and bring attention to the difference between movement that looks right on the surface and a life that is actually aligned with God’s leading beneath it.

In 2 Samuel, David’s journey into leadership unfolds gradually, requiring patience, discernment, and a willingness to move forward in step with what God is doing rather than forcing his own timeline. There are moments of tension, opposition, and waiting, and yet David continues to follow the process God is allowing to unfold. His story reflects the reality that following God often involves staying steady through seasons that don’t move quickly or resolve clearly.

In Luke 14, Jesus speaks directly to those already walking with Him and clarifies that following is not about being near Him, but about allowing Him to set the direction. His words draw attention to the cost, the priority, and the ongoing nature of a life shaped by staying with Him over time. He invites people to move beyond surface-level association and into a deeper, more intentional commitment that touches every part of life.

Together, these passages invite us to reflect on whether we are simply close to Jesus or truly following Him, and to notice how our direction, our attachments, and our pace reveal the posture of our hearts. They create space for us to sit with where we may be drifting, hesitating, or holding back, and to consider what it looks like to continue moving with Him in a steady, intentional way.