From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

We should follow our Lord as unhesitatingly as sheep follow their shepherd, for He has a right to lead us wherever He pleases. "[We] are not [our] own; [we] were bought at a price" (1 Cor. 6:19-20)--so let us recognize the rights of Him whose blood redeemed us. A soldier follows his captain and a servant obeys his master. How much more should we follow our Redeemer, to whom we are a "purchased possession" (Eph. 1:14 KJV).

We are untrue to our confession of being a Christian, if we question the bidding of our Leader and Commander. Submission is our duty, and trivial objections our folly. Our Lord has every right to say to us, as He did to Peter, "What is that to you? You must follow me" (John 21:22). And wherever Jesus may lead us, He goes before us, so even if we do not know where we are going, we know with whom we go. With such a companion, who should fear the perils of the road? The journey may be long, but His "everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27) will carry us to the end. The presence of Jesus is the assurance of eternal salvation, for "because [He] live[s], [we] also will live" (John 14:19).

We should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because every path in which He leads will end in glory and immortality. It is true His paths may not be smooth, for they may be covered with painfully difficult trials, but they ultimately lead to "the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Heb. 11:10). "All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant" (Ps. 25:10 ESV).

So let us put our full trust in our Leader, since we know that whether we experience prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, His purpose will be accomplished, and that purpose will be pure, unmitigated good to every heir of His mercy. May we find it a blessing to go up the unsheltered side of the hill with Christ, and when the rain and snow blow in our faces, may His dear love make us far more blessed than those who sit at home, warming their hands by the world's fire. To "the crest of Amana," (Song 4:8) we will follow our Beloved!