Trying to be a Disciple

Im sitting in the library at my Uni right now, Im in the middle of typing out an essay on John Ive been writing frantically for the last few days, its not coming easy but I am about 700 words in, so after 3 hours work im taking a quick 5 minuite blogging break, fortunately theres no Wifi on this floor so there arent any other distractions. Anyway...as Im writing this essay, in my morning readings, and even in Church services a thread of a theme is coming through for me at the moment, so Im going to take the hint and act on it, and right now Im just going to quickly blog on it: I feel like I have to apologize before I start this post, I know, do we really need another post, book, sermon on spiritual renewal but this is just a part of my journey so here it is, I have been really challenged by the word disciple and all the inferences it has for my life. If I truly want to be a disciple of Jesus, then Im giving up being discipled by anything else, western materialism, self ambition and even common morality. If I am a disciple of Jesus Im called out of those things, Yes even common Morality, were not called to be moral were called to be Jesus' disciples, follow his name forsaking all other 'good' things for the best thing, the thing we were made to follow, the people we were meant to be. Does that mean were amoral now, No, Jesus calls us to be moral, but not first...that place is reserved for him. Morality, Social justice, all great things but they need to spring out of our relationship with God to be genuine, and full of integrity and thats out of the compassion, forgiveness and Grace we experience from him, it overflows to others, thats how we reach out. Not psyching ourselves up to be graceful to that guy or girl that really pisses us off, but seeing the best in them, seeing their original goodness instead of their original sin. God knows how grateful I am that he looks at me and sees past all the crap, all the sin, because its taken from me, and his took the cost. Being a disciple also means that I live in Him, not live my life knowing about him, singing about him, reading about him, but living through him, thats why the price was paid so we could step into living in Him, knowing the Holy Spirit everyday quench our thirst for something more, seeing the Word become life through our actions. I know the bible uses the language of being a "follower" but right now thats not a helpful translation for me, I can easily follow him trying to emulate his exemplary moral standards or at least living by his attitude of integrity, but to be discipled by him means more than that, It is to be believe in Christ's identity, seeing him in the fullness of who he is, being inspired by his life, set free by his death and brought fulfillment through his new life. Written Listening to Only One from the album "Look to You" by United Live

[posted with ecto]