DISCIPLING

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us …reality…― Nouwen

I like this from Nouwen. 

Yesterday during our staff time together we were discussing the “why” of our mission of discipleship within the REFUGE.  That “WHY” has remained steady from the birth of the ministry years ago. …make disciples – Matthew 28:19 (ESV)

So while the “WHY” for the REFUGE rarely if ever comes into question sometimes the “HOW TO” and “DID WE” MAKE DISCIPLES does spark some discussion and require some reflection and evaluation.  

Could what Nouwen said about a "good friend" be helpful model for good “discipleship?”

I think so.

Sharing pain? Jesus shared in the pain of those He discipled.

Offering an ear? Jesus listened.

Tender care?  Jesus tenderly loved His closest friends.

Facing life? Jesus faced storms, crowds, victories, and mistakes with his closest. 

Together with “His” He did all of these things often I believe embracing this truth. 

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (MSG)

By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.

I believe Jesus has called each of us to be part of this “protection”, to have one another’s back, to grow together, share life together, refine one another, disciple and be “discipled”. 

Iron can sharpen iron. In the same way, people can help each other.

Proverbs 27:17 (ICB)

The “CHURCH” talks quite a bit about discipling but Nouwen doesn’t paint a pretty picture of how it happens through his lens, not at all. Words like pain, wounds and confusion don’t sound overly “fun”, but it is in those moments that true bonds are made, when trust is intensely cultivated and when real “ministry” occurs.

For Nouwen also remarked that:

“Ministry (or discipleship) means the ongoing attempt to put one's own search for God, with all the moments of pain and joy, despair and hope, at the disposal of those who want to join this search but do not know how”…

especially those tough moments, those hurting moments, the need for those quiet moments, and those changing moments.

So ask yourself today, is there someone you have been called to “disciple”, to friend?

What about sharpen or share a moment with?

Protect or help pull through some challenge?

If not, then Jesus might be inclined to ask “WHY not?”

Love you all…

Have a blessed day!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)