Discipleship: A learner, not in an academic setting but in a work site.
Pilgrimage: A journey to a specific destination of significant importance, or with a specific idea of significant importance.
I have started reading this book called “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” by Eugene H. Peterson. The first chapter talks about what discipleship and pilgrimage is. In the book it talks about what a Christ centered Discipleship and Pilgrimage looks like. Jesus called twelve men to be his disciples. Those twelve men followed him around for 3 years of their lives to observe and learn from how he lived. He was preparing the twelve for when he would no longer be there for them to follow. He was preparing them to go be able to go into the world and simply follow where the Holy Spirit led them.
I keep getting a picture of kids sitting at the feet of Jesus and just soaking in all of Jesus when I think of discipleship. Not moving, and thinking of what is to come next, just sitting and being present with Jesus and learning from him. When the disciples were with Jesus when he started his ministry they were learning from him in every moment. Following him in every aspect of life. They ate with him, journeyed with him, ministered with him, they did everything with Jesus. With their time with Jesus they did not learn information about God, they learned about faith in God.
Jesus sent out seventy-two people in Luke 10. They had no specific destination other than the towns where Jesus would soon go to. Jesus told them to pray earnestly to the Lord for him to lead them where the harvest was plentiful. Jesus sent them on a pilgrimage. Jesus told Thomas who questioned where will they go when the way had not been explained. Jesus explained to Thomas the he was the way, the truth, and the life. The same is expressed in Hebrews 12, when we are told to run our race we are to look to Jesus. We now have something that the seventy-two and Thomas did not have, the Holy Spirit.
As Christians we will have many discipleships and many pilgrimages in our lives. Take the jews of the old testament for example. They were called to travel to Jerusalem three times a year. This pilgrimage was to renew the covenant between them and God at the Feast of Pentecost and to celebrate the blessings that God gave them at the Feast of Tabernacles. They left their daily lives of farmers, potters, shop owners, and fishermen to travel to Jerusalem. Jesus made that pilgrimage many times in his life (Luke 2:41-42). That is where the first disciples saw Jesus at, on the road ahead of them. They were all both Disciples and Pilgrims at some point in their life.
I see myself coming out a time of discipleship and preparing for a time of pilgrimage. I have been sitting at the feet of Jesus soaking in everything that he has for me in this season. And now I am getting ready for this time to leave and follow the Holy Spirit into the world. He will be the one leading my squad into each one of these countries. The one constant that will be in our lives, will be Jesus. He will not lead us astray.
These are just some of my thoughts of these two words and how they apply to my life. Fundraising is coming along! I will hopefully be selling so beanies for the cold weather coming soon! More info on that soon! Pray for my team as we move into these last few weeks of preparation.
Love Joe
