Personal Day Revelations

I'm called to be a disciple of Jesus. Although that word is familiar to the 'Christian' world, it is often not completely understood. Perhaps another word would make more sense?

Believer. Pupil. Student. Supporter. Devotee. Follower.

A disciple is really all of that, I think. One thing that I'm becoming more and more convinced of is this: Whatever a disciple is, it is 'that'... consistently.

Tuesdays are my day 'off'. This week, my Tuesday was like a fifteen-year-old broken-down Kirby vacuum... it sucked bad. Things just went wrong from the start. Stuff broke, I didn't feel good, and it couldn't end fast enough.

Then, Tuesday night the Elders of Desperation Church had planned an appreciation dinner for my wife & I and the other staff pastors. I wasn't even wanting to go, because of how bad my day had been, but I'm so glad I did. It was awesome. Not only were we fed great food, but we were prayed over and encouraged with God's Word in a very special way.

As I went home that night, reflecting on the horrible day I'd had, followed by the inspiring night, I decided to go through with my idea of taking Wednesday off as a 'personal day'. My goal was to work outdoors all day and get some much needed tree trimming, wood chopping, and various other odds & ends buttoned up before winter settles in. I did.

Something happens when you're all alone for 16 hours and you're doing nothing but hard physical labor. I chain-sawed branches, then cut them up, then carried logs and brush to the wood-pile for hours and hours. I dug enough dirt to fill my truck-bed up and make three trips to the dump. I built a new recessed fire-pit, with real stones and everything! Actually, when I think about it... I got a lot done. But much more than physical work got accomplished yesterday... yesterday, I had time alone with God.

I probably did most of the talking - some of it was yelling, as I swung a hatchet into some of the hardest wood I've ever seen - but God was there... and He was listening. And when I gave Him the chance... He even whispered a few things back into my stubborn heart. I don't know... maybe it was during one of the numerous times I had to take apart the chain-saw to tighten the chain, or when I broke the ax-handle because I kept missing the awl, or that time I had to pull over on the side of the highway and pick up a bunch of limbs that had fallen off the back of my truck ... but somewhere during my 'personal day'... I began to notice that even when things weren't going perfectly... I was okay.

This is BIG for me.

You see, to grasp the fact that "stuff happens" to us... regularly... and still we are to maintain an attitude that is Christ-pleasing and Jesus-like, is something that my head may know quite well, but my heart and flesh are still struggling with constantly. Truthfully, if I added it all up, more "bad" stuff happened to me on Wednesday than on Tuesday. However, my heart was different and my spirit was refreshed and hungry for the presence of God... so Wednesday was so much better.

There's something about just being quiet with God... alone with God... real with God, that is absolutely transforming. It is in the quiet times... the 'secret place'... that God reveals so much to us. Stuff about Himself. Stuff about ourselves. I'll be sharing some of what I'm learning about all this, this weekend at DC.

I've got a list, a reminder of sorts, that I want to share with you. I need to keep myself honest with the Lord and the world around me. My flesh and selfishness can squelch the Spirit within me and even crush those around me. In an instant, I can bring pain and sorrow to my life. This list serves as a guide for all that I am and all that I need to be. It reminds me what it is to be a radical and consistent disciple of Jesus:

• A disciple doubts.
• A disciple denies.
• A disciple forgets.
• A disciple fears.
• A disciple changes lives.
• A disciple denies himself.
• A disciple believes Jesus is Savior.
• A disciple heals.
• A disciple sometimes rants.
• A disciple leads.
• A disciple is human.
• A disciple hides away at times.
• A disciple loves.
• A disciple protects.
• A disciple sometimes cuts off ears.
• A disciple is radical.
• A disciple is lost.
• A disciple is always seeking.
• A disciple is being healed.
• A disciple leaves his life.
• A disciple follows Christ.
• A disciple dies for faith.
• A disciple messes up sometimes.
• A disciple is called to be a disciple.
• A disciple prays.
• A disciple leads others to Jesus.
• A disciple sometimes falls away from Christ.
• A disciple gets in the grill of others.
• A disciple asks for forgiveness.
• A disciple forgives.
• A disciple tells the truth.
• A disciple sometimes lies.
• A disciple will teach.
• A disciple will write.
• A disciple has no attachment to religion.
• A disciple has friends.
• A disciple is lonely.
• A disciple doesn't try to win the approval of men (Gal.1:10).
• A disciple sometimes cares too much what men think.
• A disciple fasts.
• A disciple questions.
• A disciple hopes.
• A disciple gets angry.
• A disciple does not worry.
• A disciple sometimes worries.
• A disciple doesn't worry about money.
• A disciple likes money way too much.
• A disciple gives up.
• A disciple perseveres.

My hope every day is to add and take away from this list. Today? They all pretty much fit. Tomorrow? God only knows. I do know this: I'm so not interested in being a great leader. I am very interested in being a great disciple.