Training for Discipleship
From the Pastor’s Desk:
Training for Discipleship
Since my surgery, I have had more time being idle while I recover. Part of that time I watched TV. I was glad that during this time part of what was on the TV schedule was the Olympic trials. I watched the swimming trials (that took place at Lucas Oil Stadium—yes they built a swimming pool in the place where the Colts play football), the gymnastics, and the track and field events. I enjoy the Olympics and watching a lot of the different events. As you read this, more than likely the Olympics have started (July 26th). In addition to the Olympic trials, I have also been watching some of the Tour de France. I am always amazed at these riders who make it look effortless to climb very steep mountains as well as the speed that they reach on a bicycle.
As I watch these world class athletes compete for their dreams, typically the broadcast will occasionally run a piece about the training regimen of the athletes and how hard they train in order to be in the position of competing in the Olympics or an event like the Tour de France. When I hear about the routines that many of these athletes go through in order to stay in shape and hone their skills for their events, I am always amazed at the amount of time it takes and how it consumes their lives.
This always reminds me as to why my golf game is still not great. I want to be able to go out and play a couple of times a year and play like Tiger Woods. This just doesn’t happen. In order to be great at something, it takes time and practice and practice and practice.
This is also true in our Christian walk. If we desire to be like Jesus—this doesn’t happen overnight. If we want to bring honor and glory to God in all that we do and say—this takes work!
In our confession, we state ‘we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.’ (LBW, p. 56) This reminds us that our natural state is sinfulness and thus in order to be holy and pure, it takes WORK! We cannot by our own effort become sinless—however I think the Biblical witness calls us to strive toward this goal. Jesus tells the women caught in adultery to go and sin no more. (John 8)
So how do we train for discipleship? How do we train ourselves to be like Jesus?
It involves practice and a routine. The training is not lifting weights or aerobic exercise or dieting. Rather the training involves regular Bible reading, daily prayer, weekly worship, serving others who are in need, giving of our time and talents, those events that bring us closer to Jesus, and sharing our faith with others. Just as Olympic athletes need to continually train in order to achieve their goals of medaling, so we need to regularly and consistently seek to train ourselves in faith practices to strength our daily walk with Jesus.
Happy Training!