Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

Have you ever considered where your personal inspiration comes from? What source provides you with the most consistent and uplifting feelings of divine love and guidance? What experiences reaffirm your devotion to Jesus Christ and desire to serve as His disciple?

Often, people think about the Bible stories they know, perhaps sensationalized or perhaps downplayed. These stories, while true often provide an inaccurate picture of how God communicates with His children. Think of your own spiritual experiences. Where do you turn when your spirit needs to commune with heaven? Have you ever felt that there was a direct link between you and your God or is there a distant respect and loyalty?

There is a well-known song I often think of entitled “All Things Bright and Beautiful”

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

I believe that is true. His goodness permeates this world. When His followers seek Him, He can be found in whatever way He can reach them best.

•A friend
•A spiritual leader
•A teacher
•A wise and innocent child
•A worship service
•An act of charity
•Another person
•Architecture
•Art
•Creativity
•Invention and innovations
•Literature
•Music
•Nature
•Our own thoughts
•Scripture
•Theater and movies

The possibilities are endless but they all share one common factor: their ability to inspire. The fingerprint of God and His Son are imprinted in these types of elements that can speak directly to our soul. They whisper, “This is good. This is love. This is right. This is peace. This is truth.”

There is an opposite side of the coin as well. In direct competition for our time and attention are those things with the soul purpose of leading those who would follow Christ as far away from Him as possible. That’s an important concept for each of us to understand. Take heed. Watch for and seek out those things that most easily nurture your spiritual side. Watch for and remove those things that you find in your environment that eat away at that goodness and peace.

In all things bright and beautiful God is there. Where will you find Him?

For years I kept a picture above my bed that said, “Did you think to pray?” I’ve often wanted to add one on my bedroom door that read, “Are You coming with me?” If the answer is no, than I probably forgot to heed the first reminder.

Let me explain. Many years ago I listened while a woman I admired and respected. She talked about what it was like for her in the month following her husband’s sudden death. She shared how difficult it was for her just to get out of bed and get out the door to meet her responsibilities. How did she go on? How did she continue to put one foot in front of the other even when it seemed they would not, no could not move? She relied on the Savior.

You see, every morning she started her day with the normal routines of a disciple. She read her scriptures and said her prayers. She dressed and took care of all her daily needs. Then, she prepared to walk out the door and into the world. She explained that many days that was the hardest part, just opening the door and going out. When it seemed too much for her she would stop with her hand on the door and offer another prayer. Simply, “Are you coming with me, Lord? I need you. I don’t think I can make it through this day without you. Please, stay with me.”

Sometimes additional tears were shed but in the end her heart and limbs received the strength they needed to “make it through the day”.

I remember the feelings within my own heart as I witnessed the strength this woman had found in the Savior’s love and knew I wanted that, too.

Perhaps for the disciple of Christ, this is the most important question we need to ask. As we go out into the world to represent His name and love we need to know, “Are You coming with me, Jesus?”

When was the last time you specifically asked Jesus to be with you as you went about the actives of your day? The next question is, if you invited Him, did you at some point forget He was an invited guest and let your actions drive Him from your presence again? How long was it before you noticed He was not longer, in fact could not be, with you?

Often, keeping the Savior with us during our busy overwhelming days is a simple matter of putting Him first. Start your day with His words from the scriptures and pray. He notices when we invite Him in to our lives this way. We’ve broken down a lot of barriers that may have kept us from recognizing His presence beside us because we put Him first and sought Him out at the start of the day. Invite Him to walk beside you and see what strength He will provide.

Put your hand on the door, then pause to ask, “Are you coming with me today, Jesus? I can’t do this alone.”

If the heavens are silent, stop, turn around and begin your day again until the Spirit can be with you.

Let’s talk for just a minute about some of the first disciples of Christ; the first people to recognize His divinity and walk away from their own lives to find out about His.

Though the scriptures identify one of these gentlemen as Andrew and goes on to discuss some of the things he accomplished after hearing Jesus speak, I’d like to focus on what they did when they first saw Jesus Christ.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
John 1:35-39

Immediately after having the Savior pointed out to them, these men began to follow. Christ noticed them, as He mindful of each one of us, and turned to inquire, “What seek ye?” His first question to them was an invitation into His life and ways.

As much as Christ’s question is interesting to me, the response of the two disciples is what intrigues me. Of all the things you have ever thought to ask the Savior, would “where dwellest thou?” be anywhere near the top of the list?

I know it hadn’t occurred to me, at least until I read these scriptures today. Why “where dwellest thou?” I think it had something to do with faith. They were already familiar with the workings of the Spirit. They were followers of John as he prepared the way for Jesus Christ. They were aware of their inner light and the responses of their souls when they encountered truth and divinity. They had been prepared to follow Christ before they ever came to know Him.

Once they had been introduced, it was natural for them to follow and try to glean knowledge from the Master of all. But perhaps more importantly, they didn’t want to ever leave Him. When given the opportunity to speak, they simply asked where Christ lived, where He could be found, where His safe haven was. Because they asked, Christ could extend an invitation to “come and see.” Once they saw, they stayed. The scriptures say that they stayed with Him because it was the tenth hour, meaning late into the evening: a difficult and tiring time to be traveling. So, they stayed exactly where they wanted to be: wherever their Savior was.

As I’ve struggled with my own tenth hour lately I’ve wondered what I can do, what I can ask of the Savior that will see me through the night until the morning can come again. I have been taught and prepared, my own spirit yearns for the truth and knowledge the gospel can give me. I know some things, but I need to know so much more. I need to spend less time focusing on the coming darkness that is settling around me and stay focused on the ultimate Light in front of me. I think I need to ask where He lives. I can think of no better place to be than taking shelter with the Savior during those times. I need to make sure I’m following behind Him, on the path that will lead to where Christ dwells. I want to be wherever my Savior is.

I think if I would listen, I’d hear the Spirit whisper, “What seek ye?” I want to be able to answer, “I’m seeking You. Where do you live and how can I get there?” Every time I ask, He’ll always answer, “Come and see.” He’ll lead me on the best paths through my trials if I ask where He lives.

This is my basic message to each of you, wherever you live, whatever your joys or sorrows, however young or old you may be, at whatever point you may find yourself in this mortal journey of ours. Some of you are where you want to be or you know where you want to go with your lives, and some of you don’t. Some of you seem to have so many blessings and so many wonderful choices ahead of you. Others of you feel, for a time and for whatever reason, less fortunate and with fewer attractive paths lying immediately ahead.

But whoever you are and wherever you find yourself as you seek your way in life, I offer you “the way … and the life” (John 14:6). Wherever else you think you may be going, I ask you to “come unto him” as the imperative first step in getting there, in finding your individual happiness and strength and success.
Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Come unto Me’,” Ensign, Apr 1998, 16

The next step is to learn not to leave His home as often as I do, when I think the world is safe and I know my way. I need Him and I need His home. Always.

Think about your favorite places to be. What makes them special to you? What feelings and experiences are associated with that place? Would others feel the same way about it?

The word sanctuary can have many different meanings, but somewhere along the line they all have to do with protection. There is the consecrated or holy area, usually around a church, tabernacle, or temple. There are land sanctuaries, usually called preserves or protected areas where the plants and animals are allowed to grow and live protected and uninhibited by man. There is the general usage meaning a place of safety, no matter where or what that place may be. No matter how you refer to the word sanctuary, you are referring to a place you or someone else feels safe and protected.

Every disciple needs to have at least one sanctuary among their favorite and most visited places. The trick is finding the one that means the most to you that offers the greatest sense of peace and the Lord’s loving guidance and protection. Where can the disciple turn when he is in need of sanctuary?

There are three obvious choices: house, church, and the LDS temple.
These three areas are all places where the God can be close to us while we’re still on earth. These places should bring peace, love, and joy to the disciple of Christ.
What makes homes, chapels and temples places Heavenly Father can send His spirit and presence?

No matter your religion, people invite Heavenly Father to be in houses and chapels with them. They invite His spirit. They read and discuss His words. They focus their thoughts and learning on becoming more like Him and to understanding His will and ways.

We feel temples are special because they require Heavenly Father’s children to be their best selves in order to enter; temples are literally houses of God on the earth. In the LDS temples, Heavenly Father invites you into His home. Just as you get ready for church or to go visit a neighbor, Heavenly Father asks you to get ready to come see Him. To enter His house you need to be living a good, clean life and following His commandments. That is why all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must interviewed by their religious leaders and receive a recommend to enter those sacred places. That is why the general public is kept out. It does and must remain the ultimate sanctuary for God’s children.

Keeping that in mind, it is also very reasonable to expect our homes and churches to carry that same level of reverence for sacred things. Homes and churches are where you practice and get ready to be as close to Heavenly Father as you can. These are the every day and always open sanctuaries. When you walk into your home can you feel God’s love for you? Do the members of your family feel safe, loved and supported within your walls? Even if not every member of your family believes as you, what can you as the disciple do to improve this atmosphere and open your home to more of the Lord’s spirit?

Think of the types of things you experience within your own church. What draws you there and what do you appreciate the most? Find ways to bring those aspects of your favorite place into your home and into your heart.

While these are some of the most concrete possibilities, there are also some transient places as well. The sanctuary we find in a physical place needs to leave there with us. We need to visit often enough that no matter when the need may arise the disciple can search within themselves and find that place of safety and reassurance, whether it be in our car, our bedroom, friends, cubicle, or a grove of trees. God is constantly reaching out to us offering sanctuary; we in turn need to reach out to Him.

Of knotted wood and lofted green
entered a boy of faith,
a prophet in embryo.
Therein was granted an
herald of peace
to echo through time’s
final corridor.

On the back of
a wooden chair
rest my forearms
and clasped hands.
My grove lies in
a quiet room with
worn carpet.
Wherein I, too,
am grateful for
the power of prayer.
Christopher A. Woods, “The Sanctuary,” New Era, Apr 2001, 51

We talk so often about the sweet blessings of discipleship it sometimes seems easy to ignore the cost. In fact depending on how you look at it, the cost of not following the Savior is much higher than that of becoming a disciple. While this is true, it doesn’t mean discipleship is an easy path. It only means that the end result is definitely worth the cost. Often, this cost is more immediate and greater than many feel willing to pay. Even among His disciples, there will be many who try to “short-change” the Savior, never realizing that they’re only cheating themselves not Him.

What does the disciple pay for the Savior’s promised blessings? I think it’s different for each of us and some may actually think the price is negotiable. Different it may be, but the information on the price tag asks the same thing of everyone. He asks for our all. He asks us to turn over all that we are so that He can mold those things into something much more beautiful than any value we might have placed on the original price.

In the words of James E. Faust:

“Our true claim as disciples comes when we can say with certainty that His ways have become our ways.” James E. Faust, “Discipleship,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 20–23

Part of our purpose in life is to be tried and tested. Not just in a few things, but in all things that are necessary for our eternal salvation. He, and we, need to know the measure of our faith and patience for the things of the Lord. He tests not only our faith in the moment, but also over time. Can we still say, “Thy will be done” when that answer is not forthcoming on our own timetable?

The goal of the disciple is to become as close to Christ’s perfect example as our imperfect lives will allow. Following the Savior’s example requires us to embrace the mission of our own lives, overcome the world and finish the work we have been given to do. Even as Christ did, we need to learn to let our will be “swallowed up in the will of the Father”. We need to learn to embrace the process of change and refinement. While we have been granted the wonderful gift of agency, the best gift we can give back to the Lord in gratitude is the will of our hearts. We can offer that agency back to the Lord with humble sincerity in order to find out what choices He would have us make. That is the time we will truly find out about His love and our own divine potential. The more we are willing to “give up” of ourselves, the more room there is for the Savior in our lives.

“The more we know of Jesus, the more we will love Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will trust Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will want to be like Him and to be with Him by becoming the manner of men and women that He wishes us to be (see 3 Ne. 27:27), while living now “after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne. 5:27). Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Plow in Hope’,” Ensign, May 2001, 59

Walking as a disciple of Christ is a lifelong journey and because the journey can be rough there will be those who will chose to leave His path. Fortunately, whether we turn away completely, or simply stumble on the path, the Savior’s atonement is always there as a way back. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can live for and with Him. Discipleship requires a full commitment to the Lord’s way, where ever it may take us, for the duration of our lives. This is the price we pay for His welcoming arms and words of comfort, love and pride at that end of life. That is the price we pay for His guiding and steadying hand every day until then. It’s definitely worth the price.