Missio Dei 7
April 9, 2009
What does solitude have to do with being missional?
It seems, I am not sure, that many of the missional activities of Christ were preceded by times of solitude. Some seem sandwiched between times of solitude. Before choosing the disciples for their mission of representing his rule in this world we find him alone with God, his Abba. Before engaging in ministries of healing, feeding, teaching about the reign of God, he goes off into some solitary place to reflect and be. Between the last supper and the greatest of the missional acts ever known, dying for us, we see him in solitude, leaving all his life in the hands of the Father.
Being missional happens in the rhythm between activity and a soul nourishing solitude.
This week, a friend of the family I have been directing to Jesus to become his disciple, coming to church with our family, and just starting to read the Bible for the first time in his life, popped these questions in an email: How do I know I have found Jesus, and how do I accept him? One of my daughters had told him about accepting Jesus. Wow, I said to myself? After only a short time, a couple of outings together doing life with me, and without any religious background, this friend knows to ask these questions? How do I good news him without trivializing the experience by the premature saying of a prayer? My tendency, for this is how I was evangelized, was to quote him a few verses from that famous road tract to logically prove he was a sinner, repeat the sinner’s prayer after me, and pronounce him a Christian ready for heaven on the next train.
Instead, I retreated into my closet for a couple of days to ask Jesus how to gospel my friend. And so we did get together, talked at length about the will of God, and debriefed what he was experiencing, turned his questions around: How do you know that Jesus found you, and has accepted you? Answered those questions. He was experiencing the proof and results of these questions by reading Scripture that were getting his attention about his condition in life. I confirmed and affirmed his questions and experience. I encouraged him to continue reading and asking, knocking, and seeking. I also told him about the way I used to do this kind of thing and encouraged him to continue on the never ending path of becoming Christian. We talked about the conversion of Ruth and how it was about adopting a new way of life, God, a community, for life.
That was a lot to think about and we left it there, after prayer of thanksgiving, and for God to continue to draw him unto himself. I am in constant contact with this friend and our relationship allows for ease of back and forth with questions.
The funny thing is: I kept thinking during our discussion that I got to seal this deal by asking him to pray the sinner’s prayer. What use is my EE training if I don’t do it the prescribed way? Finally the other way prevailed. My wife who was listening in with our grandson, thought it was a most natural way of doing things like this. I can hardly wait for him to ask about baptism. Then I’ll have to go into solitude again and see what Jesus would say to him. Meanwhile, we will do a few things together, invite him to our house at every opportunity, etc…
Being missional is a way of life, part of the rhythm of life, that is lived between solitude and “gospeling” others. Until it becomes that, it remains shallow.
What do you think?
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Thanks for sharing Georges, what a fantastic story. I love how God is using you to “be gospel” to your friend. Thank you for not reducing the magnificent, robust gospel into a few pithy statements in an effort to be efficient. Thanks for trusting God in the process. I need and am encouraged by the example you have given.
Solitude is the rich black soil from which the tree of our life arises and produces much fruit. This fruit is for the world. Our lives, marked by peace, love and joy become exactly what a hungry world is searching for. In solitude our lives become gospel.