“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
Pastor Miller smiled down at his congregation as he repeated his words. “Is there anyone here who would like to dedicate his or her life to Jesus? Is there anyone who wants to stand and say, ‘I choose to be a disciple of Christ and follow Him wherever He leads’?”
Sarah sat with her parents near the front of the church as the minister’s invitation echoed throughout the sanctuary. She felt happy inside because she’d already answered that call many months before. She’d chosen to be a disciple, and while it wasn’t always easy, she knew it was the right decision.
From the moment she’d stood to say, “I want to be a disciple,” her life had been filled with many challenges and opportunities. Sarah had even spoken to some of her classmates at school and invited them to join her for special meetings at her church—programs filled with beautiful music and fun stories. Some had even taken her up on her invitation and enjoyed listening to Pastor Miller preach and various people share their talents. The young visitors especially liked the man who played the marimba and the woman who sang songs while strumming a ukulele.
Several of those classmates, along with their parents, were visiting the church at this moment and were seated beside her, listening to the organ play as Pastor Miller waited for a response to his call.
Suddenly Sarah heard the pew on which she was seated squeak as someone stood. She glanced up to see who it was, and her breath caught in her throat. It was Terry, the boy who had caused her so much trouble and embarrassment at school. He’d told lies about her, made fun of her, and made her life miserable. In time he’d become a little more friendly, but the pain of his past actions still lingered.
Now he was standing in front of a whole church filled with people and saying, “I want to be a disciple. I want to give my life to Jesus.”
Several others in the congregation stood in response to Pastor Miller’s invitation, but Sarah didn’t notice. She realized that Jesus had used her to touch the heart of another human being. In all her young life she’d never felt such joy and happiness.
As the minister prayed for those standing, Sarah felt tears well up in her eyes. Answering the call to be a disciple had changed her life, and she couldn’t imagine being anything else. No matter what the future held, she knew she would always share God’s love with everyone she met. She would always be a disciple.
When the pastor finished his prayer, Sarah called out an especially joyful “Amen!”
Getting Ready to Go
Would you like to be a disciple? Simply pray this prayer every morning.
“Dear Jesus, I want to be a disciple for You. Teach me, train me, and guide me each step of the way. I belong to You. Amen.”
1 Unless otherwise noted, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.
2 Texts credited to NIV are from the New International Version.
