*Above Only Devotional* *Saturday, November 16* *Focus Requires Sacrifice* *Matthew 4:18, John 4:28-29*

*Above Only Devotional*

*Saturday, November 16*

*Focus Requires Sacrifice*

*Matthew 4:18, John 4:28-29*

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. *The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

After Elijah threw his mantle on Elisha while he was plowing his field, Elisha ran to him to plead with him to allow him say goodbye to his family and follow him. Elisha then went back to his field and slaughtered the animals that he was using to plow and used the wood he had used to yoke the animals, to make a fire with which he cooked the flesh of the animals and gave to his people. After this, he followed Elijah and started serving him, 1 Kings 19:19-21. The way he ran to speak with Elijah showed his understanding and passion for the call that he was receiving and the way he slew his animals and burnt the yoke showed his willingness to do whatever it would take to remain focused.

Similarly, our passion and understanding of our call to focus on Christ and be like him will make us sacrifice everything that we know will distract us from following Him like we should. Apostle Paul said he counted everything else as dung so that he might win Christ, Phil. 3:8. The woman that Jesus met by the well was so passionate about going to tell the people of her city about Jesus that she left her water pot by the well and ran into the city to tell people about Jesus. She did not want anything to slow her down on this her mission and new focus. We must lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12:1-2. Like Jesus said to his disciples who forsook all and followed Him, we will experience a hundredfold of His life and blessings, Mark 10:28-30.

*Prayer:*
Heavenly Father, today I lay aside everything that will distract and weight me down from following you wholeheartedly.

*Bible in one year reading plan:*
Ezekiel 2-4, Hebrews 11:20-40