Everything rises and falls on followship.

I've been reminded again recently of the dynamics often found amongst leaders who are required to follow leaders. When there's leadership on your life, sometimes the hardest thing to do is follow. The problem is that Jesus, the greatest leader of all, was and still is, the first follower. He followed God. And the Apostle Paul says to you and I, 'Follow me as I follow the example of Christ' (1 Cor 11:1). So it's not a matter of 'I'm called to lead, you're called to follow'. We're all following Jesus together.

Having said that Paul still recognised the leadership that was on his life. He was saying to the church in Corinth, 'Follow me, your leader, as I follow Christ'. But how often do we live with distress because we seem to think that if we were the one leading, we'd do a much better Job? And whilst we're anything but a No.1 we're wrongly positioned!

Psalm 20 says, 'May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you'.
This sounds like the kind of prayer you'd pray over your own life when you find yourself wrestling with the above mentioned emotions.
The problem is, this Psalm is a prayer of intercession. A prayer of leaders who follow, praying for their leader who follows. The people of Israel were sending a clear message to David their King, their No. 1 and who was in distress.

So what's my point?

If there's leadership on your life, be the first follower. And as you follow, intercede for your leaders, because it will only be once God has appointed you No.1 that you'll discover a whole new level of distress that you never knew existed when you were following yet desiring to lead as a No. 2

So bless your leaders today and pray Psalm 20 over their life.

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah
May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.
Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call!

Grace,
Andrew