Discipleship in an Instant Society

In my current journey, I am appreciating my college training in long distance running. My coach, at Oregon State University, Berny Wagner, told me, “You’re not fast but you can run for a long time.” Right now, I need to run for a long time. Eugene Peterson addresses this concept in his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society. He draws upon Psalms 120-130, “The Songs of Ascents,” psalms that are assumed to have been sung as the Israelite pilgrims traveled to Jerusalem. These psalms become a picture of the steady, faithful, daily pilgrimage for every Christian who wants to draw close to God. Steady, faithful discipleship is contrary to our instant society. Everything is available to us ... instantly. My medical situation has forced me to re-evaluate how I live. I have never been a food connoisseur. Food has only been necessary for me to live. Slow eating has not been my habit. Savoring food and life have a lot in common. I have learned that chewing food completely (masticating) so that you are swallowing liquid aids in effective digestion. Fruits should not be consumed with other foods because fruits digest at a different rate and could putrefy with other foods. Consuming very little liquid while eating aids in the digestive process. Eating foods at room temperature allows your body to consume food without having to either cool it or heat it and therefore reduce the amount of energy used. All of these eating guidelines run contrary to my instant society. It takes discipline and in my case, discipline over a long time. Take some time to read Psalms 120-134 from the perspective of a pilgrim on a journey of growing closer to God. Check out these additional resources related to Eugene Peterson’s book.

• Amazon copy
• Google Books copy
• Google Books (Perseverance Bible Study copy)
• IVP posting of book with sample chapter 1 and other resources
• IVP Long Obedience Journal
• Nietzsche quote used for title is from "Beyond Good and Evil" and can be found at Gutenberg

I highly recommend you check out Ken Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image. This is a book to keep on your shelf for guiding you through the process of sanctification. Audio lectures on the first facet, Relational Spirituality: Loving God Completely, Ourselves Correctly, and Others Compassionately, can be found at Bible.org.

Integrity in Washington

In the wake of two years of political mud-slingin’ comes a story of a politician of integrity. Chuck Colson, in his Breakpoint Commentary highlights the life of Quie, former farmer, naval aviator, state senator, congressman, and governor of Minnesota. His story is told in a recently released book by Mitch Pearlstein, Riding into the Sunrise. [See at Amazon]. A man of integrity, his character was put to the test early in his congressional career. Shortly after arriving in Washington as a junior congressman, he was invited by a senior House member to go to Europe to examine farm policies. Al was enthusiastic about the opportunity, until he learned that two of the Congressman's beautiful young secretaries would be going along on the trip; but he was told they "wouldn't be doing any secretarial work." Only a few months into his congressional term, Al challenged the senior member's impropriety, telling him that if the secretaries went on the trip, he would not go. Well, Al stayed home.

Chuck Colson was personally impacted by his integrity. He tells the story: “Seven months into my prison term, I was facing some family crises that were terrible. Al called me and told me about a law that might allow him to serve out the rest of my sentence. Al said he was going to see President Ford the next day and ask him, if he, Al, could serve the rest of my prison sentence. I was speechless.”

How does a man like Al Quie cultivate this type of integrity? The book reveals his “secret.” For years, Al starts off every day with prayer, devotional literature, and time in the Word. As he meditates on the passage, he notes any inconsistencies between his life and what he’s reading about. Al explains, “What I say and do all have to be in harmony with each other. And when it isn’t, I tackle the inconsistency.”

Washington needs more men like Al Quie. More businesses, communities, homes, churches, need men and women like Al Quie. Will you be one of them?