Why. Why Choose to Follow?

My coworker and I were talking after class last week, and he asked me a question that was harder than I thought to put into words.  He asked me, "Why."  Why do I choose to follow Christ.  Have you ever tried to put something like that into actual words?

How do you begin to even describe what it's like to live every day in relationship with God.  Not merely following rules and regulations as "fire insurance", but walking WITH God.  How do you put into words the peace, the assurance, the companionship, the confidence and the direction that brings to your life?  That's like someone asking me, "Why?  Why do you love your husband?  Why do you want to honour, and serve and do life with Nick?"  My immediate answer is how could I not!?

I could sit here and list all the tiny attributes and characteristics and things that make me so in love with Nick or so in love with God, but that makes it seem so categorizable (it's a word now).  Do I love Nick because he stays up late to make me a sandwich for work the next day when he knows I need to be up at 4:30am?  Do I love Nick because of his sweet, tender and gentle spirit/heart?  Do I love Nick because of all the ways he shows love to me on a daily basis?  Do I love Nick for his personality, quirks and dreams?  Yes, yes, yes, and yes!  But it's so much MORE than that.  Nick is my husband, my lover, my companion, my strength, my best friend, my co-adventurer, my back-up, always in my court, always supporting me, always encouraging me, always there.  Do you know what it's like to just have someone like that THERE?

That is Jesus.  THAT is why I could not, would not, ever choose to do life without Him.  Do I love Him because He died for me when He didn't have to?  Do I love Him because I know He has a plan for my life and wishes good things for me?  Do I love Him because He is there in all the little blessings from only 4 red lights on the way to work this morning when I was running late to a timely song on the radio?  Do I love Him because of Who He is and because He first loved me? Yes, yes, yes and yes!  But it's so much MORE than that.  Jesus is my Saviour, my Giver of hope, my Giver of purpose, my true Best Friend, my constant Companion, my strength, always in my court, always wanting the best for me, always directing me when I stray, always listening, always ready, always THERE.

So my first answer is truly my final answer - how could I NOT want to do life with Him?  It's not just about a "reward in the sky one day".  It's about the here.  It's about the now.  The world is messy.  It is unfair.  It is often downright mean.  Why would anyone want to take on the world alone when they could have a Companion like that?  And I have been blessed with two.  One is only human, but the other is my God.