Contributed by Adeline Ting • Jul 18, 2023
I must confess, discipleship is not my strength. And to have to write the sermon summary and reflection on this theme, must have been a divine intervention. It made me reflect and re-examine my discipleship journey and what it means to me.
Discipleship has always been a big word to me. In all honesty, I feel that it is a long hard road that has no end. Sometimes, I see attractive things on the side of the road, tempting, but I have to turn away from them. At times, I have someone walking beside me, but at times I feel I am alone, abandoned by my supposed “mentor”. And sometimes, I get ridiculed by people standing by the side of the road due to the choices I made to stay on the road to discipleship. On rock bottom days, I asked myself “Is discipleship really worth it?”
Well, strange enough, yes, I am still on the same hard road that has no end. I kept my eyes on the journey ahead, knowing that the beautiful attractive things at the side of the road are distractions. They mirror my wants and own desires, but they are not from God. Although at times my “mentors” may have abandoned me, I kept my sights on the one true discipler – Jesus Christ. And I turned ridicules into positive notes to fuel my journey in discipleship. And as I reflect on my discipleship journey, I know it has every bit been worth it as I am not the same person I was when I started this journey. I am a transformed person, and still a work-in-progress!
I am humbly reminded that discipleship is a process of following Jesus to become more like him (Christlikeness). Therefore, set our sights on Jesus, not on men. Discipleship also demands a life set apart from others as the called, chosen and consecrated people of God. Looking back, I have learnt (and still learning) to trust God in everything and anything, and that all that He provides is filled with His goodness. I am realistic that while I may not have the discipling relationship of Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus and his disciples; I am thankful to the CG and church community that I have as we encourage one another. This makes the road travelled less lonely. And I am grateful that my relationship with God helps nurture my soul to be the compass that guides me in my walk, as I make the choice every day to follow Jesus and to be willingly changed by Jesus. This choice to follow Jesus has set me free to be a disciple and perhaps to also disciple others.
May God help us all by giving us the grace, mercy, wisdom and strength, but above all, the heart after God’s heart, to be great disciples and disciple-makers!