What Does God Say About Discipleship?Sample

Day 3

God’s Wonder

Matthew 28:20

Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

How do you feel about saying goodbye? 

I’m the type of person who hates goodbyes. I always have been. I can remember when Robby would travel back and forth to school (which he used to have to do every week when we were newly married and in ministry), and I couldn't stand it. I hated saying goodbye, even when I knew he’d be back. 

Especially early in our marriage, when my parents would come visit us, I cherished every moment they were there, being in their presence and receiving their help with a glad heart. But with every visit comes the time for departure. As they would be backing out the driveway to head home after a week’s stay, I’d be the one holding back tears as they got in their car, backed out of the driveway, and started to drive away. 

It’s hard to see someone you love leave you, even if it’s just for a little bit. You get used to having them around, to seeing them and experiencing them on a regular basis. Now imagine that, instead of your husband or your parents, it’s Jesus who is leaving. You’ve spent the better part of three years at His side. You’ve listened to Him speak, watched Him heal the sick and lame, felt Him comfort you when you were down. But now He’s telling you that He has to leave. 

I can't imagine standing there on the mountainside that day in Acts 1 when Jesus was about to ascend into Heaven. I read this chapter and my heart strings are tugged as if I'm there with the disciples, wanting to hang on to every day and every last minute they have together. Jesus is departing from them again. But His was not a bitter goodbye, for someone amazing came in His place. The Spirit is our Counselor, companion, guide, teacher, and source of wisdom as we invest our lives into others.

See, Jesus meant it when He said He’d be with them forever, because although He was leaving, He was sending something better in His place. It’s hard to imagine something better than the physical Jesus standing next to us, but the Holy Spirit is not bound by physical location; He’s everywhere we are. We don’t have to seek Him out, because He dwells inside of us. 

One day, we will go home to be with Jesus. Our faith will become sight and we can live without having to ever depart again. In the meantime, aren’t you glad that you never have to be alone? We have God’s Word speaking to us, the record of what God has done in our lives to remind us, and the Holy Spirit’s presence guiding us no matter where we are. 

We also have something else: one another. One of the biggest benefits of discipleship is that, when you are discipling other people, you have each other to depend on, to help remind us when things get hard that we’re not alone. 

You’re not alone, and you won’t ever have to be. That’s some of the best news in the world.