I Have Decided to Follow Jesus: A Father’s Prayer, A Son’s Reward
This title and heading leave me tenderized by emotion and tears. When I think of this song, I Have Decided To Follow Jesus, it takes me back to Sunday School. Even though I wouldn’t have counted it as a son’s reward then, I certainly do now. We certainly sang this song a lot. However, my noticeable following of Jesus in my life, while visible in glimpses perhaps over the years, is much more front and center now.
In this scenario, front and center means focus on Jesus, the cross, and the hope and promise of eternal life in heaven through the Lord Jesus.
As for reward? Well, I have been blessed beyond my ability to properly articulate it. Rewards, they are countless; and the best part is that the more I don’t chase rewards, the more rewards show up. That is God. All God.
Why This? If Not Now, When? Why Not?
There is a version of the hymn ‘I Have Decided to Follow Jesus‘ by Anthony Evans that wrecks me every time I hear it. This kids’ song as I remember it, is all grown up. Frankly, it’s glorious! It’s not just his voice; it’s the story. Anthony, like me, is a pastor’s kid. This entire project was a tribute to his late mother, the one who always encouraged him to sing hymns. I don’t know Anthony, yet, but what a connection this performance is.
Oftentimes I talk to my Mom about the ‘lazy language’ of modern Worship music, versus the ‘tenderized’ humble words of the old hymns. We talk about hymns we want sung at the services that will come after we are gone from here. Maybe Anthony will be available to do some songs at my funeral one day. I have a list he could pour out to the gathered that would echo in eternity.
When I read that about Anthony, my heart knew it. I am a writer who finally decided to follow Jesus, and my book, Generation Jumping, is a tribute to my late father and others I have lost. His story and my story were already singing the same tune.
One Son’s Privilege – A Son’s Reward
In interviews, Anthony described this experience as a ‘privilege.’ He felt it was a special, moving project to use his voice to honor his mother’s legacy. I understand that completely. But when I think about my own journey, the word that comes to mind is different. It’s ‘reward.’
My book isn’t just a tribute to what’s lost; it’s a celebration of what I’ve been provided in experience my entire life. I am blessed beyond measure to be the one who gets to hold a hand, to share a memory, and to intentionally engage with loved ones before they leave here. While the time spent with these people has been, and is still, rewarding, the true reward is seeing their example and testimony to the very end. Their unwavering faith models the greatest reward of all: eternity with Christ.
My Father’s Prayer – A Legacy That I Want To Honor And Extend
My Dad was a wonderful man of God (my favorite preacher), and he always wanted to see at least one of his kids follow in the ministry. For years, I was the son who believed, but didn’t truly follow. Or my follow could have been easily seen as something else. But in the last two years, that has all changed. I am finally living out the prayer he prayed for me. I don’t want to claim an arrival, as if I’ve somehow ‘made it.’ My prayer, day after day, is simply ‘to be in motion for Him.’ To be the son who is finally, actively living out the prayer my father faithfully prayed.
The God Who Weaves Our “Why”
You cannot make this up. The God who weaves our stories works best when the parts and pieces; our lives, our losses, our obedience are in motion.
The God who weaves our stories took the loss of Anthony’s mother and my father and wove them together into a shared purpose. He gave Anthony the privilege of a song and gave me the reward of a goodbye. His plan took two pastor’s kids and gave them the same heart to honor their parents. This is the God who takes our grief and turns it into a song. The ‘In the beginning, God’ who takes a father’s prayer and makes it echo into eternity. This is the God who makes the decision to follow Jesus the most beautiful tribute we could ever offer.
Listen to the hymn that moved me
Visit my “Resurrection Hymns” page to hear “I Have Decided To Follow Jesus” and other songs from this playlist:
More reflections coming soon
This is number five in a series of posts about these powerful hymns. Check back in the coming days as I share how other songs from the Resurrection Of A King playlist impacted me. Set in motion from that Easter Sunday playlist that followed me all through northern New England the next day.
Watch my video reflection on this hymn: My YouTube Short Video on this