One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men. Mark 1:16-20
No one follows the Lord from their own self, but only from the Lord Himself. For the Lord draws after Him those who from freedom will to follow. He can draw no one who does not will to follow Him. For the Lord provides that the person may follow Him as if of themselves, flowing into their freedom, for the sake of the person’s reception and installing of truth and good, and resulting reformation and regeneration. If it did not appear that they followed the Lord as if of themselves, that is, acknowledged His Divine and did His commandments as if of themselves, there would be no attachment and joining, and thus no reformation and regeneration. For everything enters into the person and becomes as if it were their own that they receive in freedom, that is, as if of themselves, whether it be what they think and speak or what they will and do as if of themselves. And yet one ought to believe, as the matter really is in itself, that they do these things not from themselves but from the Lord. This is why it is said that they must act not of themselves but as if of themselves….A person cannot know otherwise than that this is done by themselves, when yet all good flows in, and so also that which they think, that which they will, and that which they consequently do….All this makes clear that to "follow the Lord" is to be led by Him and not by self. Swedenborg, Apocalypse Explained §864
CREDITS
Dr. Sue Johnson, “Love Sense” https://www.youtube.com/@DrSueJohnson
Emanuel Swedenborg, www.swedenborg.com
John Clark Echols, www.clarkechols.com
Solomon Keal “Affection for Truth” www.solomonkeal.net
Podcast Host: John Clark Echols
Music Credit: Solomon Keal
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I invite you to continue to listen to the next episode. Be well.
