Castings: August 28, 2026

The True Work of Discipleship

Humans are built for survival—not only for self, but for those we love. That instinct is hardwired into our bodies, our flesh and bones. Jesus pushes us, talking of walking freely to suffering and death. It takes Peter time—one can argue it takes him the entire Gospel account—to fully grasp what Jesus is truly talking about—to redirect his mind, his direction, to things divine when he is so very focused on things earthly.

Peter shows us the true work of discipleship. To yield and change, to bend, to arc, to try and to fail and to get up and try again, to begin to turn our world view upside down topsy turvey on its head that we might begin to focus, not on earthly things, but on divine things, God things, Kingdom things. Reorienting our lives can be absolutely terrifying when we first get there. And talk about unsteady. But that’s okay. Discipleship, following Jesus, is not for the faint of heart. It never has been. It requires much of us: thoughtfulness, patience, deliberateness, focus and, most of the time, a fair amount of frustration and failure. Remember what it cost the One who redeems our world: suffering, the cross and death. Remember what it brought this world one strange morning in a garden: life, hope, joy.