The greatest discipleship lessons, pt. 2

This is post 4997 for me on this blog. A lot of years. A lot of words. A few lessons.

I reflect on John 14-17 at this time because that is where my daily reading has me and it’s a beautiful setting for why I use the title “Apprentice2Jesus.” We are disciples, apprentices, to Jesus. My longing is to follow him. To know him. To have his Spirit living powerfully through me.

About a week ago we gathered some friends together for our family foundation board meeting. On our board are some lifelong friends who have been with us in ministry and now this work for quite some time. As we prayed a final prayer before departing, the wife of this dear couple prayed over all of us and prayed something that reached back to our early days together in that small church in Minneapolis.

There was a time in the life of the church we pastored where I referred to life in the Spirit as setting our sails. We want our sails up and ready so when the wind of the Spirit blows, we are ready to catch the full wind and allow him to take us where he pleases. This is the prayer our friend prayed over us, in part, that morning. It caught me.

She had remembered and was referencing that time and that heart we had. I also remembered she had created a banner to reflect that prayer and desire and we had it up in our church for quite some time. So much opened up as she kept praying that morning and I was overwhelmed.

This is discipleship. It is to walk the long road with Christ and with each other empowered by the Spirit.

We have been maturing in Christ together. Not apart from each other. WITH each other.

Jesus talks about the “Advocate” (the Spirit) being sent so we would know the way. We need our sails up and ready to catch that wind. Let the Spirit take us where he leads. This is discipleship. To do this together is a true gift.

I am not thankful just for these years of walking with Jesus and learning and striving to come to maturity. I am thankful I get to walk this life with others as we walk in the Spirit.

Set your sails. The wind of the Spirit will blow and take you places you didn’t imagine before. And you will go with friends that will be cherished for a lifetime.