Discipleship is More Than Saying “Yes.”

To be a disciple of Jesus is more than a simple “Yes” to an invitation from Jesus to follow him. What Jesus asks from those who answer his call is to abandon their sinful past, and have a willingness to come, to stay, and to seek a new path.   

 Jesus, always nurtured, loved, and supported by His Father, invites his followers to stay and make their home with him. And just as Jesus and His Father are one, Jesus wants to be one with his followers. He does this by becoming their way, truth, and life. Making your home with Jesus is more than  a place to eat and sleep, but a community with shared values and insights. It is a wellspring of love and concern for others.  What Jesus hopes for is an extended stay modeled on Peter, James, and John when they wanted to build tents on the mountain of the Transfiguration.   

They were prepared to follow for as long as Jesus desired.  God the Father looked for the same response from Samuel. He abandoned his family to live in the Temple near the Ark.  When he heard the voice calling him, Samuel eagerly responded, “Speak Lord , for your servant is listening.”  This is the exact response Jesus hopes for when he calls each of us.

 While the call of Jesus may be deliberately vague, the response Jesus wants is always clear. Like the Apostles and Samuel , what God and Jesus desire is that Faith and Trust support the words of our response. When they do,  God is pleased.

“Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.”