“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’” Matthew 16:24-25 NIV
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow Me,” John 10:27
“He took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.” Luke 9:28
SEEK HIM: Devotion is Meeting with God in Our Own Lives!
James, the son of Zebedee, was one of the three disciples Jesus invited to the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus called him a “Son of Thunder,” and early on, that nickname fit him well. At first, James wanted to call down fire on those who rejected Jesus (Luke 9:54), and he once asked for a seat of honor beside Jesus in glory (Mark 10:35-40). However, as James kept following Jesus, something changed. The Lord took James’ thunder and turned it into a testimony that echoes through the ages. By the time we reach Acts 1:13-14, we see James gathered with the other disciples, devoted to prayer. The same man who once sought power was now seeking God in prayer. Eventually, in Acts 12:2, we learn that James gave his life for Jesus, becoming the first apostle to be martyred. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow Me,” (John 10:27). James’ journey shows this very example: listening to Jesus’ voice then following Him beyond what words can even express. Let’s spend time with Jesus right now and “Seek Him” for what we can learn about prayer from James. (You can listen to the podcast about James here.)
WHAT: What is God saying through this Scripture?
Following Jesus means more than speaking about faith; it means walking it out. When Jesus said, “Come, follow Me,” (Matthew 4:19), James left everything and obeyed. He followed Jesus away from his livelihood, up and down mountains and through distant towns; everywhere his Messiah went. Over time, James’ prayer life wasn’t defined by eloquent or even recorded words but by faithful steps. The same call comes to us today: not to speak first, but to listen and follow first. Prayer isn’t just a moment in time; it’s a lifelong response to God’s invitation to come closer. ~ How is Jesus inviting you to follow Him right now? Where might He be calling you to trade ambition for obedience? What could following Jesus look like when words fall short? How can you turn moments of confusion into moments of quiet trust?
WHY: Why does this Scripture matter?
Following Jesus changes us. The call to take up our cross confronts pride, self-reliance, and comfort. Like James, we all begin with rough edges, like desire for control or personal ambition. However, Jesus patiently transforms us as we walk with Him. Lives that prayerfully listen to and obediently follow Jesus will always become lives of surrender. James reminds us that God isn’t looking for perfect words but willing hearts. When we follow the Lord, our faith becomes stronger and our prayers become deeper; not necessarily because we say more, but because we trust more. ~ What areas of your life need to be shaped by following rather than leading? Where has Jesus already changed the way you talk to Him? Are you willing to let Jesus change you more and more, through prayer that listens to His voice and then follows where He leads?
HOW: How does God want us to respond to this truth?
Sometimes prayer begins not so much with words but with a willingness that says, “Jesus, where You go, I’ll go.” Like James, we are called to follow Jesus in both the mountain moments of glory and the valleys of suffering. Our “yes” to Jesus in private prepares us for the public moments when following Jesus costs us something.. James, the disciple who never gets explicitly quoted in Scripture, teaches us through his example to follow Jesus in it all. ~ How can you make your prayer life more about walking with Jesus than talking at Him? What’s one specific act of obedience you sense Jesus calling you to take? Who is watching your life — and how might your faith encourage them to follow, too? How can you follow Jesus faithfully even when it leads to places of silence or sacrifice?
SPEAK HIM: Discipleship is Making God Known to Others!
James reminds us that devotion isn’t measured by how much we say to Jesus but by how faithfully we follow Him. In the same way, he reminds us that discipleship isn’t always about saying exact words. James’ life echoes an example of following Jesus so wholeheartedly that (according to church tradition) even the man who testified before Herod against him saw the reality of Christ through him and gave his life to Jesus, too. This is what “Seek Him Speak Him” looks like: when your quiet testimony of following God’s leading becomes a living invitation for others to know Jesus, as well. The people around us learn what faith looks like through the way we live, believe, pray and follow. Every time we choose Jesus, we show others what it means to be a disciple. So, like James, may your following become your witness, your prayer that speaks beyond words: “Jesus, I will follow You.”
Up Next:
“TRANSFIGURATION PRAYER: John Teaches Us to ABIDE in Prayer” (Convo #6)
