DISCERNING THE DISCIPLINE OF DISCIPLESHIP
"I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ..." Philippians 3:12-14(The Message Bible)
BIBLE READING: RUTH 1:14-18; 2KINGS 2:1-15; MATTHEW 10:38; MARK 8:34; 1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27
As we have seen in our previous devotional, every Genuine Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ is a disciplined follower of His. In other words, Discipline is essentially a Fundamental Component of Authentic Discipleship, therefore the Holy Bible reminds us that "Every athlete in training submits himself to strict Discipline..." 1Cor. 9:25a (Complete Jewish Bible). Our Heavenly Race is a marathon rather than a sprint. Hence, the importance of Strict Discipline as an Integral Part of the Discipleship Process can never be overemphasized.
Elijah the Tishbite, popularly known by many as "the prophet of Fire" was aware by Divine Inspiration that he was about to ascend into Heaven at the Conclusion of his Earthly Ministry. He tested the Loyalty of Elisha the son of Shaphat, his successor and disciple, by trying everything possible to prevent him from following him on three different occasions: From Gilgal to Bethel, from Bethel to Jericho and from Jericho to Jordan (2Kgs. 2:2,4,6). Nevertheless, Elisha remained adamant, and his answer on those three occasions didn't change: "As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU!" (vs 6). Even up to the point of no return when both Elijah and Elisha miraculously crossed the River Jordan, the latter remained steadfast and undistracted because he was a disciplined follower of the former i.e., Elijah the prophet. As a result of this Discipline, he became the sole recipient of the double portion of his spirit (2Kgs. 2:8-15).
There is one Key Price to pay in order to become an Authentic Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 14:28). Paying the Price can be rather painful but we must bear in mind that there are two major kinds of pain, either of which everyone must face: The Pain of Discipline or the Pain of Regret. The former weighs ounces while the latter weighs tons. The sad reality is that myriads of would-be Disciples are unwilling to go the full distance and pay the Price of Discipline which is why they remain average. A word is enough for the wise, so let us receive Instruction and embrace the Discipline within Discipleship.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, we glorify You for Who You are and for all You represent in our lives. O Lord, please enable us to cultivate the necessary Discipline and self-control in order to become Genuine Disciples of Christ in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.