Deep-End Discipleship

“For your steadfast love is before my eyes,    and I walk in your faithfulness. I do not sit with men of falsehood,   nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers,   and I will not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.” -Psalm 26: 3-7 ESV- The people that we spend our time with have a big effect on us throughout our lives. Friends are often our support system, sounding board, confidant, and so much more. Statistically, as we get older our friend group gets smaller and smaller. I think that this shift is probably for many different reasons. One of my guesses is because we want to focus on a few deep relationships rather than multiple surface level relationships. I also think that our inner circle gets smaller because we slowly get to know ourselves better. I feel like throughout my life I have always been one who jumped...

If any of you are suffering, they should pray. If any of you are happy, they should sing. If any of you are sick, they should call for the elders of the church, and the elders should pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. Prayer that comes from faith will heal the sick, for the Lord will restore them to health. And if they have sinned, they will be forgiven. – James 5:13-15 CEB – One of the best grades I’ve earned in seminary came in one of the hardest Greek classes. The only way I was able to do well in that class was from an incredible study group who supported and taught each other. The group was a mixture of times of serious focus and great laughter. I can’t imagine getting through that class well without those people! James at the end of his letter is encouraging the believers to come together as a unified community. Though these Christians had struggled greatly, he encouraged them to come together to pray, rejoice, and care for each other....