Transformed by Apprenticeship by Randy Ness
Day 1:
Trading my way for His Way
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (Jesus)
“The most important thing in your life is not what you do, it’s who you become.” (Dallas Willard)
I am 71 years of age and have lived a productive life.
Raised by a devout family. Baptized at age 12. Youth group. Summer church camp. Graduated from and worked at a Christian college (47 years). Regular church attender. Teacher, small group leader, elder. School board member. Short-term missions. Lovely wife. Great kids. Loyal dog.
However, much of my life was spent trying to achieve and please others. I was not feeding my soul. Through those years, I kept too busy to simply be with God.
I did all the right things. But below the surface, I had become emotionally exhausted, anxious, and spiritually empty. Then my secret life became revealed. Brokenness, guilt, and shame followed.
Then Grace came in a fresh, new way. Caring believers met me in my messiness. They loved me, prayed for me. Helped me trade in my view of an angry, judgmental God for one who is loving, compassionate, and gracious. They helped me begin a journey to truly seek God, be with Jesus, and receive the Holy Spirit.
In recent years, I have been peeling off layers of dry crust that had accumulated around my heart and soul. I remain a work in progress and will continue to be on this side of heaven.
Three experiences that have been crucial to my new apprenticeship with Jesus are the Alpha Class, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality series, and Theodyssey - spiritual formation experience. Reading the book Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer with a group of friends this past year has also revitalized my desire to follow Jesus.
Learning to become an apprentice of Jesus is proving to be the most satisfying years of my life!
For reflection:
1. Is the life you are currently living the one you most deeply desire? Explain.
2. What is one commitment you are willing to make so that you can move toward becoming a better apprentice of Jesus?
Day 2:
Reading Scripture for Transformation
“…their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law, they meditate day and night.” (David)
To be modern-day apprentices of Jesus, we need to immerse ourselves in the eye-witness accounts of his life and ministry - the Gospels.
Meditating upon the Gospels has become a delight for me. Once I do foundational reading, study the context and get at the author’s original intent, I use my imagination to put myself in the story. I imagine being with Jesus as he teaches, heals, and interacts with others.
Allow me to share a profound personal experience that has forever changed how I go about reading scripture.
A few years ago, I had just finished reading a section entitled “Meeting Jesus in the Gospels” in David Benner’s book The Gift of Being Yourself. He outlines a few simple steps for doing gospel meditation.
Instead of using the passage suggested, for some reason, I decided to meditate on the Last Supper. I placed myself in the story. There I was reclining at the table along with the other disciples enjoying the close camaraderie and food. Then Jesus began to wash feet.
When he came to me, I felt his gentle but firm touch and the cool water on my dusty feet. While kneeling before me, he looked up at me, made eye contact, and tenderly said, “Randy, it will be okay.”
These words came at a time when I was going through significant stress and shame. I was simply stunned. I wept. I never felt closer to Jesus than in that moment.
As Benner states, “Listening to sermons and reading the Bible provide information about Jesus, but this is not the same as a personal meeting of him in his life. Gospel meditation is gazing on Christ and getting to know him.”
For reflection:
1. What is one of your favorite gospel stories? Try reading and then prayerfully meditating through it using your imagination. See if/how Jesus comes alive for you.
P.S. (You may or may not have as powerful an experience as I had, but I truly believe imaginative meditation on the Gospels will enliven your relationship with Jesus.)
Day 3:
Learning How to Pray
“Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1)
Jesus’ disciples were devout Jews who were quite familiar with traditional prayer practices to Yahweh. Yet, when they saw Jesus pray, they saw something fresh and different. It is telling that they did not ask Jesus to teach them how to preach or heal or serve better – but instead, they asked him how to pray.
As a modern-day apprentice with a fledgling prayer life, this verse really encourages me, because I, too, am asking Jesus to teach me how to pray.
I have come to realize that my view of God affects my motivation to pray. When I see God as angry and vindictive, I avoid or hide. If I view God as a distant, impersonal spirit force, I ask why bother?
But when I see God as he describes himself to Moses as “compassionate, gracious, and slow to anger,” (Exodus 34:4-7) then I want to approach Him.
Here is how John Mark Comer describes prayer in in his book, God has a name:
“Prayer is what Moses did with God in the tent. What Jesus did with the Father in Gethsemane. It’s brutally honest, naked, and vulnerable. It’s when your deepest desires and fears and hopes and dreams leak out of your mouth with no inhibition. It’s when you talk to God with the edit button in the off position and you feel safe and heard and loved. It’s the kind of relational exchange you can’t get enough of.”
Now THAT is the kind of prayer life I long for. And in that spirit, I have started using the Aramaic term “Abba” (Daddy) more often in my prayers.
Like me, if you want to learn how to pray or resuscitate a dry prayer life, then I recommend the following resources (I am currently working through):
John Mark Comer’s “The Practice of Prayer” study series is online at practicingtheway.org.
Tyler Staton’s book, "Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools."
For reflection:
1. What is your prevailing view of God? How is it impacting your desire to talk with Him?
2. Are there any phrases in the Comer quote that resonate with you? Why?