More on following the call by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
The first step puts the follower into the situation of being able to believe. If people do not follow, they remain behind, then they do not learn to believe. Those called must get out of their situations, in which they cannot believe, into a situation in which faith can begin. This step has no intrinsic worth of its own; it is justified only by the community with Jesus Christ that is attained. As long as Levi sits in the tax collector's booth and Peter at his nets, they would do their work honestly and loyally, they would have old or new knowledge about God. But if they want to learn to believe in God, they have to follow the Son of God incarnate and walk with him.
This has nothing to do with being "left behind" like the series of books that try to make something of the way the authors interpret scripture. The step to which Bonhoeffer refers is simply the act of following. It would be what is traditionally called the power of the Holy Spirit that pulls us beyond our ways and our demands. As we all know, there can be any number of things in our lives that keep us in a state of what we perceive as comfort. This is the place in which we generally know where the day will go and how we will fit in and how we will be able to move it in our way and according to our desires. And yet, to take that step to follow Jesus, we move outside everything that is so easily used as an excuse to be just where we are and no place else. I especially like the note that this step has no "intrinsic worth of its own." It is simply what the call of Jesus creates. We are pulled into it and we move trusting that it will become our way.
Connection: Take the step...make the leap. Who knows what will take place when we take the next step!?!
When you move us, O God, you stir us up so that we can go beyond ourselves and take in the domain of your grace that transforms all things. We give you thanks for this daily gift. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment