Hannah keeps showing me the way when it comes to discipleship.

And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. – 1 Samuel 1:26  ESV

Who would have remembered her promise – only God – and for God’s sake, she came and put her son Samuel under the care of Eli to disciple, instruct and enter him into service as a servant in the temple. I found out that normally a person would start training at age 25. I wonder how Eli felt having the young boy around him?

Remember when Jesus said that to be a disciple one would have to give up everything – even their children. Hannah was our example. Where is that kind of integrity today – this resolve to be faithful to our commitment to God whatever may come our way.

Paul wants to point us to the Holy Spirit as the person we need to come to in order to receive this kind of resolve.

 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?  Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by^[a] the flesh?  Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith – Galatians 3:2-3,5  ESV

To even come to the idea that we can fall back to what was, that never worked, does not make sense. If I am a learner, a disciple, to shut my mind is the end of discipleship.

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” – Galatians 3:10  ESV

When will we see that no one can keep the Law – cannot fulfill the Law at all – why do we keep going back to it when all it brings is a curse.

So we give ourselves up and we give others up to a new family – the family of God. St. Augustine said something to this end – “It is greater for Mary to have been a disciple of Christ than the mother of Christ” (Sermon 72). 

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave^[g] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28  ESV

I am so thankful that God has provided us individuals all around us to share the Gospel with and whom we can disciple.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth – Psalm 66:1  ESV