“Don’t forget to go to the store!” When my wife sends me to the local market, she has a very clear list of what I am supposed to purchase.
Sometimes, my wife will even send pictures of the items to my phone to make sure I don’t make any mistakes. When I arrive at home after shopping, she opens the bags, makes sure I got everything, thanks me for the help and puts the groceries in their proper places. I was sent on a mission that I accomplished, and I was thanked.
Earlier this year, the Lord felt like He needed to remind me of the clear mission He has sent me on—the one we have all been sent on—to “go and makes disciples” (Matt. 28:19-20, NIV). It sounds basic. Simple. Like something we are all doing. But God’s reminder caused me to contemplate the question, “Who am I discipling?”
Immediately, I thought of the people attending my services, the team I was working with and the outreach ministries I was leading. In my Spirit, though, I knew this question was referring to something more than that, something deeper. It was challenging me to be honest with whether I had new people whom I was consistently meeting with, intentionally investing in and personally making into disciples. Like Jesus did.
Jesus chose 12 people to meet with on a regular basis. He was very intentional with their spiritual development. He was making disciples personally through relationship. Three things strike me when I think about the way Jesus discipled:
- Their discipleship relationship started before they had a full understanding of who Jesus was.
- Their discipleship relationship was short-term; it was only about three years in length.
- Their discipleship relationship resulted in those disciples making disciples, who made disciples, who made disciples …
So, who am I getting to know, teaching Scripture to, listening to, spending time with, caring for, answering their questions, praying for, investing in, guiding and releasing to do the same?
Just like coming home from the store and giving my wife what she asked for, I want to get to the end of my life on Earth and give Jesus what He asked for! I want to give Him the disciples that I personally made. We have all been sent on a clear mission to make disciples. Let’s accomplish that mission and position ourselves to hear Jesus say, “Well done.”
Let’s start by asking ourselves the question: “Who am I discipling?”
Prayer Points
- Ask the Lord to open your eyes to how you can be more effective at personally making disciples.
- Ask the Lord to bring to your mind at least one person who doesn’t know Jesus, with whom you can start cultivating a personal discipleship relationship.
- Prayerfully consider a strategic plan to intentionally connect with and begin a true discipleship relationship with this person.
Share your thoughts. See comments below, and add your own.
