A Disciple Follows

Whatever definition of discipleship we might use, there can be no question that to be a disciple means that Christian persons have acknowledged that Jesus is their master. We can follow because he is a leader. And while that requires firm commitment and great effort, it also assumes an element of passivity - to simply do what our Lord says, to go where he goes, to receive what he gives to us in our daily lives.

This goes against our natural inclination to find security in knowing and controlling our own lives. We like to think that planning, hard work, and careful follow-through will ensure that we have a predictable future. In contrast, Jesus declares, ". . . do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" He then concludes, "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Mt. 6:25-34). That last statement sounds very Stoic, almost fatalistic, yet it is neither of those, for the verses preceding it place the thought in the context of the providential care of a loving heavenly Father. We need not worry about tomorrow because the Master of the Universe is our Father, and the combination of his power and his love guarantee that his goodness will fill our lives.

This conviction of God's providence is the underlying foundation of my life as a disciple. Before I do or say anything, faith enables me to receive all I need from the good hand of God. Medical crises, the loss of loved ones, surviving dangerous winter weather and road conditions - all become less troublesome when we know that nothing escapes the knowledge and sovereignty of our King. Because of this reality, one might say that the "Disciples' Creed" can be found in the words of Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 1: "What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own, but belong - body and soul, in life and in death - to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ."