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BY JOHN COVINGTON

How obedient are you? When you hear that small voice nudging you, do you take action?

I struggle. When the price does not appear too high I seem to do okay - like going back on the B&O trail and picking up a piece of trash, or perhaps saying a kind word to a stranger.

When the request is more bizarre or requires a larger leap of faith it gets tougher for me.

In Mark 11, Jesus sends two of his disciples to get a colt. Okay, so someone tells us to go into a neighborhood and get a vehicle. If someone catches us 'borrowing' this vehicle we tell them, 'The Lord needs it and will return it soon.' Right.

In Mark 14 Jesus sends two disciples into Jerusalem to make arrangements for the last supper. They will run into some guy carrying water and follow this guy to a house, ask the owner of the house where the guest room is, and then prepare the Passover meal.

So we?re going to walk to Jerusalem on the chance we?re going to run into the correct guy toting water and follow him home? I want more detail. Is this guy going to be wearing a striped robe, have a ring in his nose? How am I going to tell this fellow from every other character toting water? Jerusalem is a big place. Those are two bizarre requests.

This disciple stuff is scary. Spending time in prayer and reading Scripture provides an environment conducive to the Holy Spirit talking with us. It also increases the likelihood of those crazy assignments.

Several years ago I felt called to hire a very good friend. There was some business justification behind the hire but it was mostly a spiritual feeling. He was with us for two years and did not make a positive financial impact.

Many criticized me for this decision as they felt that I was not considering the well being of others in the company. However, I am absolutely confident this was God?s will and I just don?t have the reason figured out.

Was it because Ralph is exactly opposite from me? He describes himself as tall, dark (he is African American), charming and handsome. I am the opposite of all that. Was he able to change attitudes within clients and our organization during those two years? Did we both grow closer as Christian brothers during that time to gain strength for a task ahead? I don?t know.

I only know that going off to find those donkeys and guys toting water is probably a good way to spend time, even if we don?t know all the answers.

John Covington is a member of Severna Park UMC and president of Chesapeake Consulting, which is providing leadership and coaching training to the conference staff.

A DEVOTIONAL
for the Discipleship Adventure

Celebrate, Connect and Share: The Passover meal was a celebration of faith and provided a time for people to connect with each other and deeply share the meaning of their faith. With your family or a few close friends, share a meal and reflect together on the sacramental nature of the feast. These readings usher us into Holy Week, and at this family meal, take the opportunity to share with one another some of the signs of our faith.

? Drink water and use finger bowls to wash your hands during the meal. How does water remind you of God's love and care? Tell stories about baptisms, perhaps the stories of the baptisms of the children in your family or of someone who came to faith as an adult.

? Eat bread. How does bread remind you of Jesus?

? Have a glass of grape juice and reflect on what it means to you.

(You could keep it as simple as this or you could also eat other foods that could serve as a reminder of faith stories - like fish and Jesus? multiplying the loaves and fish, or the story of Jesus helping the disciples catch more fish.)

Develop: In his reflection, John Covington mentions hiring a friend and compares that to the disciples? puzzling assignments during Holy Week.Think of a time when you were convinced that you had to do something as an act of obedient faith. How did it come out? Were you able to see why this act was important? If not, do you still think it was an important act of obedience?

Serve: This week be on the lookout for someone 'carrying water' who needs to be relieved of the heavy burden. In your journal, make a note of your service and record the person?s reaction to your act of caring. Was the reaction what you expected? What might you do differently the next time?         

- The Rev. Vivian McCarthy