Martin's always graciously lending out his books to people. A few weeks ago he lent one to me. It's by Eugene Peterson and it's called "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction". The tag line is: "Discipleship in an Instant Society".
Friends, I have to say, this book is very good. Every chapter is so full of truth and wisdom. I started writing down specific quotes but I stopped because I was wanting to write down everything. I'm just going to have to get this book for myself. It's one for the permanent collection.
In the first chapter he talks about living life as a tourist (only wanting the high points) or as a pilgrim (someone who is going somewhere). I had never really thought about that before, but it's so true of who I am, who we are conditioned to be. I want things here and now so that we can move onto the next thing. I always start learning something new but when I find that I am not skilled in excellence after a few tries, I give up or I get bored, or I just simply lack the determination to continue on. Usually I am not willing to put in the time to practice, I just expect that I can decide to do something and instantly be amazing at it.
But becoming a disciple takes time. Peterson says that a disciple is a learner, but not in the academic setting of a schoolroom, rather at the work site of a craftsman. He says that we are constantly in a learning-growing relationship with Jesus, whom we are apprenticed to.
I've seen the Rob Bell DVD called "Dust". Recently the young adults had a discussion about it. After a very interesting history lesson, Bell talks a lot about how Jesus is our Rabbi and he picked us and he believes in us and that we are disciples. And that disciples would follow their Rabbis everywhere and were consistently striving to be like their Rabbi. He says that because the disciples were following their Rabbis everywhere, at the end of the day they would be convered in whatever the Rabbi had walked through. He says "May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi".
I don't have any big conclusion or point to ponder.
I just wanted to share with you some things that I've been reading, watching, thinking about, discussing, and trying to live out.
Man, I am so out of the blogging habit.
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2 comments:
Thanks Chels - Jeremy read that book a while ago and was supposed to post a summary so I didn't have to read it myself but never did... now I can skip that boring slow book and read "3 steps to spiritual maturity" or "Instant Discipleship" instead.
I like Eugene Peterson, and the idea of "long obedience" and making disciples makes sense to me. It's just that it takes so long - and the results are often hard to see!
One of the Nooma videos right? I absolutely hate missing out on them, I wish I could've seen that one. I've had a couple unlucky weeks for coming to church/youth but know I miss it immenselyy.
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