The Desire of Discipleship

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I stretch out my hands to you;

my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Psalm 143

Have you ever felt the kind of thirst described in the Psalm ?  Have you ever been desperate for a cool drink of water ?

Psalm 143 is one of the penitential Psalms, which means it is a prayer of both confession and a desire to repent-or turn around.  The metaphor of dry land emphasizes the deep need for the living water of God for the Psamist’s soul.

And we can see the Psalmist praying with hands outstretched, singleminded, and completely focused on his desire for God.

This is a good way to begin our journey of discipleship, and it can be a touchstone for the long walk toward Christ.

When I am honest enough to let my heart do the talking, and am courageous enough to throw all toward God, I have begun the journey with power and hope.

Eugene Peterson says, that no matter what disappointments we may experience in society, many of us ‘still have an unquenchable thirst for wholeness, a hunger for righteousness.’(Run with the Horses)

Does that describe you today ?  Has that ever been your experience ?

It is never too late to stretch your hands wide and admit your desire for God.

Today may be your first step toward a new discipleship in Christ.

Fling wide your arms.

Open the portals of your heart.

Blessings,

Debra

The Way of Discipleship

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. Matthew 16 :24-25

This is a hard saying and not undertaken lightly.  We don’t have to know very much of Christian history and witness to know that many have given their physical lives in honor of the pledge to follow Jesus and Him alone.

All of us are called to wrestle with this idea of denying ourselves entirely in order to follow Christ.  Each will make an effort, some will make a bargain, and very few will be able to move so far toward Christ that life itself is nothing without Him.

As I pray with this saying-and have done for much of my adult Christian life-I am left with the single-mindedness of this invitation.  It is a description of purity of heart.  It is the grace to ‘will one thing.’  And this grace will come through God’s generosity and mercy.

So-what is my part ?

An invitation has been issued.  I am asked to RSVP.  On some days my response is whole hearted-Yes !  But on many days, my answer will be a fearful, I will try with God’s help.

Through prayer and worship and fellowship, I will seek the strength of spirit that wants Christ, and Christ alone.  I will reflect upon the pathway that leads to the Cross.  I will undertake to walk in the Way of Christ.

I will not be able to do this alone.  It will take the encouragement and the witness of the community.  I will need to join with others, for this is not a singular walk.

If you would like to join a community, looking at what it means to be a disciple, consider Theology and Spirit-a class on-line and on-site at St. James Parish.

Blessings,

Debra