The whole idea of this blog and its name came from reading Dallas Willard decades ago. When I talk about “Ancient Wells” and the familiar Scriptures to visit, it was an idea begun by reading and listening to Dallas Willard.

When I come to the Sermon on the Mount in my list of “Ancient Wells,” I think of Dallas Willard the most. It was The Divine Conspiracy (on about the third time through reading it and finally teaching it) that my life was radically altered. How I saw discipleship, spiritual formation, church life, all of it, began to move in an entirely new direction because of that book and the work of Dallas Willard that followed in my life.

So, when I come to the Sermon on the Mount in my list, as I have done in the last couple of weeks… I don’t want to leave it. I have slow walked through the Sermon this time because, somehow, I’ve missed Dallas’s voice more than ever. For some reason, I’ve felt that when I end the Sermon (and my meditation on it) this time, I have to leave his voice. I know I don’t… but it feels like it.

There is something that feels like a loss in my life, but it’s more. It’s something that feels like a loss in our current state of affairs. I’m not losing voices. I’m not losing hope. Those are choices. And they are choices because cultural and spiritual shifts are happening and they threaten those ancient paths and ancient wells. It is a reminder to always be on guard.

My wife and I finally got to see a live performance of “Hamilton” in New Orleans back in April. It was so deeply moving and I had tears the entire second act. I was feeling a cultural and historical loss as I was reminded of what we once hoped as a nation. Then, I watched the spot in the Tony Awards show where the original cast of Hamilton did a medley to commemorate the ten year anniversary of the show. They ended with lines from the song, “History has Its Eyes on You.”

It was a reminder to always be on guard.

And then I think of Dallas Willard and the loss of his voice, but I am reminded that his writings go on and certainly what he left unpublished continues to be organized and published as well.

It is a reminder to always be ready to hear.

I get to Matthew 7:7 and read:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”

I hear Dallas all over again: The nature of the Kingdom is to ASK.

I am reminded to always be on guard. I am reminded to always be ready to explore.

My call as the apprentice of Jesus is to be ready to follow.

As I journey, I remain grateful for the voices that have been so influential in my life. Then, I am called to keep moving in that ancient path and find those ancient wells and find fresh water all over again.

I am to be a witness for someone else. Maybe for several others. I have no idea. But, I am to keep on asking… and seeking… and knocking. I am to write out what I am experiencing and learning in the Kingdom. Somewhere along the way it will leave a witness to the goodness of God and it becomes part of that ancient path and hopefully a place where fresh water can be found all over again.

With gratitude to Dallas Willard and deep thanks to the ancient paths, I keep walking.