Ordinary Time 
Pause
“Where you go, I'll go; Where you stay, I'll stay; When you move, I'll move; I will follow you. Who you love, I'll love; How you serve, I'll serve; If this life I lose, I will follow you.”
Chris Tomlin
This is the essence of what it means to be a disciple. Disciples are students; they follow their teacher and their teacher’s teaching.
In a culture where independence is prized above all else, it’s easy to believe that being a follower is a bad thing. Truthfully? It all depends on who you choose to follow.
Listen
As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you should lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.
1 Thessalonians 2:11-13
Think
I have a bunch of cool old t-shirts from years of youth mission trips, and my favorite simply says, “It’s not about me.” I believe this is the heart of what we Christians believe – what we do, what we say, what we are — it’s not about us. It’s about God.
Paul wrote to encourage the church in Thessalonica, reminding them that his teachings come not from him, but from God. God is the one who calls them (and us) into new life. God is the one who is at work in the lives of all people. It’s about God, not us.
God creates. God calls. God forgives. God comforts. God inspires. God loves. God teaches. God challenges. God is present. God weeps with us, laughs with us, delights in us. The living God, creator of the universe, does all this and more, and expects us to do the same for and with each other.
God is leading the way. Will you follow?
Katie Day
Pray
God, it’s not about me. Thank you for who you are and what you have done and continue to do each day. You are incredible, and I am in awe. Help me today to live a life that’s all about you. Amen.
Go
An ancient Jewish saying goes like this:
“May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.”
It was meant as encouragement to be a good disciple: follow your rabbi, your teacher, so closely that you get dusty from the dirt he kicks up as he walks. Follow not only what he teaches but also where he goes and what he does.
May you, today, respond to God’s call to follow.
May you be covered in the dust of the Rabbi.
