While scrolling through Instagram I read a post that asked if you had a “word of the year” to start 2019 with. Immediately, the word that came to my mind was… “immediately.”

According to Merriam-Webster, immediate means to happen without ANY delay.

This word has actually been in my mind continuously since September or October. I was reading Matthew at that time and the word “immediately” kept showing up.

Y’all, I’ve read Matthew and the other gospels multiple times in my life – I mean I’ve been in a Southern Baptist church since I was born. Until recently, the word “immediately” hasn’t really stood out. Yeah, I know that the disciples dropped everything and followed Jesus right away, but it never stood out for MY life. Until then. Until I started reading Matthew this year. In chapter 4 of Matthew, Jesus called the first disciples. Specifically, he saw Simon Peter and Andrew fishing in the Sea of Galilee because they were fishermen. Jesus told them to, “Follow me, and I will make you fisher of men.” And what happened?

Immediately they left their nets and followed him. – Matthew 4:20

Guys, they didn’t discuss with their families if this was a good choice, if this would work for them. They didn’t say, well we need to finish fishing then go to the market to sell our fish and make some money. No, y’all. They went with Jesus IMMEDIATELY. No delay. Drop everything and go.

Alright, let’s look at what happens next. Jesus sees two other brothers James and John, with their dad mending nets. He called to them. What happens?

Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. -Matthew 4:22

Guys, again. They went IMMEDIATELY. No delay. Guys, they left their DAD to mend the nets. Again, no discussion. No delay. Just, follow Jesus.

This word shows up again throughout the gospels as Jesus heals the sick. No delay. Jesus healed them as He met them. He immediately heals. Pretty awesome. Not a “here take this pill for 7 days and you’ll be better” or (since I’m an oily person) “put RC on your chest and within a few minutes your cough and congestion will go away.” Nope. Jesus healed IMMEDIATELY. No delay.

I serve an AWESOME God who can do things immediately.

So, back to my “word of the year” being immediately. Guys, this is a scary word.

Especially for an overthinker like me. I need to think for a couple of weeks. I need to pray a lot about choices. I ask, “God, is this YOU or is this ME?” a lot. I don’t do much immediately.

It’s also scary for a person like me who likes to have a plan. And who is a people pleaser. Y’all, immediately could mean picking up and moving somewhere. It may not. Only God knows. I’ve had people say that God won’t have me move in the middle of the school year. We don’t know that. He might. He might see that I’m needed somewhere else and another teacher can come in and change my students’ lives. I’ve had people say God won’t send me anywhere without enough money saved up to go. Um, He might. Let’s look in Luke 10. Jesus sends out 72 ahead of Him, two by two into the towns where He was about to go.  Verse 4:

Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. -Luke 10:4

Yeah, he told them to take no moneybag. That means he might send me without having money saved up in my bank account. He might send me somewhere without anything so I have choice but to have complete faith in Him.

No matter what, I know that with immediately being laid on my heart, that God wants me to have faith and obey Him immediately this year. This might mean leaving a job – His disciples left their jobs. This might mean leaving my family – His disciples left their families. This might mean living on complete faith that God will provide what is needed – His disciples did this.

I know that in the last few years I have not obeyed Him immediately. And what did it lead to? Regret. Repentance. And the want to obey Him immediately.

I had it laid on my heart to become a foster mother a couple of years ago. I let people talk me out of it because it would be tough and I’m a single lady and I was working on my Master’s degree and I would have to give up a lot of freedom like picking up and traveling when I want to. Now I don’t have this laid on my heart anymore. And I know that I missed a blessing. And I regret this greatly.

I also realized I was sinning. I didn’t stop the sin immediately, and now I am struggling with heartbreak and loneliness. This sin was also after not immediately praying about something that had been laid on my heart. Giving up dating and focusing on my relationship with God. Now, I have no want to date.

God is going to get us where He wants us. We have the choice to immediately listen to Him. To immediately obey Him. Or we can make things difficult. We can say, “oh, that’s not God saying that to me” and ignore Him. And as a result suffer from heartbreak and loneliness or another consequence.

Do you have a word of the year for 2019? If so, let me know what the word is and what it means to you!

Sweet friend, as you are about to go into 2019, I pray that Jesus lays on your heart to follow Him immediately, I pray that you have faith to follow Him completely. Mostly, I pray that if you don’t have a relationship with God, you will become a believer. I pray that you will accept Him as your Savior. I’m praying if you don’t know how you will reach out to someone.