"Now What?" - Week 5 Bible Reading Plan
Week 5 7-Day Devotional
Following Jesus Is Still the Call
John 21:19 — “Follow Me.”
Day 1 — What Now?
Scripture
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me! ”John 21:19
Remember Easter. The songs. The crowds. The celebration. But eventually Monday arrives. The dishes still need washing. The bills still need paying. Life keeps moving. After all the excitement of Easter, Jesus gives Peter a surprisingly simple instruction: “Follow Me.” Not, "Figure everything out." Not, "Become extraordinary." Just, "Follow Me." Many of us spend our lives looking for the next big thing from God when He is often inviting us into the next faithful step. A marathon is completed one step at a time. Nobody finishes 26 miles by thinking about the finish line. They simply keep taking the next step. The Christian life works much the same way.
Reflection What is one simple step of obedience Jesus may be asking of you today?
Prayer "Lord, help me focus on following You today instead of worrying about tomorrow. Amen."
Day 2 — Stay With Jesus
Scripture
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19
The first invitation Jesus gave His disciples was: "Follow Me." The last invitation He gives Peter after the resurrection is: "Follow Me." The call never changed. Why? Because Christianity is not mainly about information. It's about relationship. Jesus never intended for us to simply learn about Him. He invites us to walk with Him. Many people collect travel brochures for places they never visit. Likewise, some people collect Bible knowledge but never truly walk with Jesus. The goal isn't information. The goal is intimacy.
Reflection Are you learning about Jesus, or walking with Him?
Prayer "Jesus, help me stay close to You today. Amen."
Day 3 — When Jesus Becomes the Leader
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
We love Jesus as Savior. Sometimes we struggle with Jesus as Leader. Following requires yeilding. It means trusting His direction even when we don't understand where He is leading. Peter undoubtedly had questions. Yet Jesus did not answer every question. He simply said: "Follow Me." A passenger and a driver experience a road trip differently.
The passenger relaxes. The driver carries responsibility. Many Christians want to sit in God's seat while asking Him to ride shotgun. But discipleship means allowing Christ to drive.
Reflection What area of your life is hardest for you to surrender to Jesus?
Prayer "Lord, help me trust Your leadership more than my own plans. Amen."
Day 4 — Recalculating
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5–6
Sometimes following Jesus feels like following GPS directions. You know the route He suggests. You decide to take another one. Then twenty minutes later you're wondering how you got so lost. The wonderful thing about Jesus is that He specializes in spiritual recalculating. Peter failed. Peter denied Christ. Peter wandered. Yet Jesus restored him and called him again. A GPS never spends time shaming you for missing a turn. It simply says: "Recalculating."
That is often how God's grace works.
Reflection Where have you been resisting God's direction?
Prayer "Father, thank You that Your grace is greater than my wrong turns. Amen."
Day 5 — Stay Connected
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
Jesus described Himself as the vine and us as the branches. Branches do not produce fruit by effort. They produce fruit by connection. Many believers become exhausted trying harder rather than abiding deeper. Jesus never said:
"Produce fruit." He said: "Remain in Me." An unplugged lamp may be beautiful, but it provides no light. The issue isn't effort. The issue is connection.
Reflection What helps you stay connected to Jesus consistently?
Prayer "Jesus, teach me to abide in You instead of relying on my own strength. Amen."
Day 6 — The Living Savior
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:11
The resurrection means we are not following a dead teacher. We are following a living Savior. Jesus is not merely a historical figure. He is alive. Present. Active. Still speaking. Still leading. Still transforming lives. The resurrection made following Jesus possible because the One we follow is alive today. A photograph can remind you of someone. A living person can walk with you. Jesus offers more than memories. He offers His presence.
Reflection How would your day change if you consciously remembered that Jesus is with you?
Prayer "Lord Jesus, thank You that You are alive and present in my life today. Amen."
Day 7 — Following Jesus in Ordinary Life
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17
John 21 is remarkably ordinary. Fishing.Breakfast. Conversation. Jesus met His disciples in everyday life. Most spiritual growth doesn't happen on mountaintops. It happens in kitchens. At work. In traffic. In conversations. On ordinary Tuesdays. Following Jesus is rarely spectacular. It is faithfully walking with Him one day at a time.
A lighthouse doesn't become useful because of one dramatic flash. It remains faithful night after night. Its consistency changes lives.
Reflection Where is Jesus inviting you to follow Him in the ordinary moments of life?
Prayer "Lord, help me see You in the ordinary places and faithfully follow You every day. Amen."
The empty tomb proves: He is alive. He is greater. He has power over death. The question after Easter is not whether Jesus rose. The question is: Will I follow Him today?