Courageous Disciples Week 5, Day 4

From It Takes Courage – Part 1: Courageous Disciples

Practice

Read

The disciples want to learn to pray from their Master, Jesus. The prayer we know as the Lord’s Prayer is the prayer Jesus teaches the disciples to pray.

While the Lord’s Prayer is a familiar prayer to many, at one time you had to learn it. You stumbled over the words. You wondered if it was trespasses or debts.

You may have even prayed it out loud in a Roman Catholic context and realized their tradition does not include “for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Yes, I’m speaking from experience. Of all the times and places it could have happened – this protestant pastor was attending a Roman Catholic funeral mass. It was another context to practice, stay curious, and receive the grace of the people around me.

Just like me, you practice the faith.

The more you practice the faith, the more you learn about Jesus and ourselves. The more you learn, the more curious you get. The more curious you get, the more you’ll need to practice rumbling with vulnerability. And the more you practice rumbling with vulnerability, the more courageous you become.

That’s the journey of a courageous disciple.

There’s one more thing. You never graduate from practice. Ask any professional athlete what they still spend time focusing upon each day. They’ll tell you the fundamental skills of their sport and basic physical & mental training.

Each of these is an example of why we practice prayer. It’s also why we practice following Jesus. Yes, you guessed it, you’ll also need to practice rumbling with vulnerability and being a courageous disciple.

You’ll mess it up. When you do, dust off your knees, get back up and return to the arena. You are a courageous disciple on a journey with Jesus.

Reflect

What spiritual discipline are you willing to use to explore practice rumbling with vulnerability? Here are a few spiritual disciplines you might consider: Daily prayer. Daily reading the scriptures. Serving with people living in poverty. Tithing. Caring for the sick. Accountability with a small group.

Respond

Practice a spiritual discipline today.

Pray

Lord Jesus, I confess there are times I take practicing my faith for granted. There are times, I speak a prayer from memory with little attention to your presence in my life. Forgive me, I pray, and help me to grow as a disciple who seeks to become more like you. Amen.

Return

Use a notebook to record your responses. Share your celebrations in the comments below.

What spiritual discipline did you practice today? Where did you see Jesus today?

Extra Thoughts

If you haven’t taken a moment to review the “Overview of It Takes Courage” please do so. You’ll find a few tips that will help you start this journey.

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