Lent Devotional: March 13

Today marks the first Sunday in Lent. It will also continue Palms second year of the Journey to Discipleship. Last year we began a new tradition of using Lent as a time for intentional focus on discipleship. As we Journey to the cross with Jesus we, like the disciples of the Bible, place ourselves at Jesus feet to hear his teaching and learn to walk in the way of Jesus in our daily lives.

A question I am often asked is, why discipleship?

It seems that many of us find the word disciple daunting, intimidating... too much. We prefer to think of ourselves as Christians, or members of the church. And yet Christ's command to his original twelve disciples is not to go make members of the church - or go gather adherents to a set of beliefs (Christians). Christ tells them to go make disciples, people who will follow Jesus with them, learning to walk in the way of Jesus in all they do and say.

As I read scripture there is very little daunting or intimidating about the disciples - in fact they are usually getting it all wrong. They too struggle with Jesus words, and they too often miss the meaning. They lose faith and struggle to grasp the vision. The only single attribute that I find in the disciples that sets them apart from others is that when the rubber hits the road, when they are challenged and afflicted by Christ's words, they still choose to follow in the way Jesus leads them. Others hear discouraging news and fade into the night (Nicodemus and the rich young ruler for instance), but the disciples - thick brained, over-eager, prideful men that they are - constantly stay with Jesus. Peter sums it up, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

If you see in Jesus one that you wish to follow... if you sense that in Christ you find the way, the truth, and the life... then you are a disciple! You are called by God to follow in the way of Jesus and to share that gift by nurturing, equipping, and sharing the journey with other disciples. Naming yourself as a member of church is about naming where you find community... and that's important. But being a disciple? It is the essential journey of a lifetime where we follow Jesus and learn to live according to his word and way.

This Lent I hope that you find ways to connect deeply with God in answer to your call to discipleship. This particular year we have focused our conversation on love. Hearing those words we say in every baptism, "We love because God first loved us," (I John 4:19) we pause to reflect on how we are living that out in our life. As disciples how are we learning to live in Christ-like love.

Why discipleship? Because I firmly believe that being a disciple is what it means to be human. Being human is being God's children who follow God's son into the world in the way of love.

Join us on the journey!

Blessings and Love,
Rev. Andrew Kukla


On each of the six Sundays of Lent our Lenten Devotional will be short testimony from a Palms member of how discerning discipleship and living into the love of God has changed their life. Sharing stories of faith and discipleship is essential in Christian community but not always easy to do. We hope this can be one more way that we help each other to engage in this rich and wonderful practice of nurturing one another at Palms. If you have a story to tell we invite you to share that story on our blog or facebook page, you will find the links to each of those below. You are also welcome to send an email reply. Community is about sharing stories that feed faith - share yours today!