40 Faces, 40 Places: A Devotional JourneySample

Susan from Ireland

Sometimes whole-life discipleship looks like breaking out of our comfort zone.

My frontline is on the Barrow Track, a path by a long river that runs through my town, used by dog-walkers. When I started walking the Barrow Track, I was just delighted to be outside in the fresh air, watching my dog Lorelei enjoy herself without a mask. I had my headphones on, listening either to Christian music or a Christian talk show (how pious am I!).

Initially, I didn’t want to take my headphones off – oh, how I wanted to keep them on and be in my lovely Christian bubble! But God had other plans, and I found myself drawn more and more into the dog-walking community. Now that some of my fellow dog-walkers know I’m a follower of Jesus, they come with questions, doubts, and prayer requests. One day Lorelei looked at me as if to say, ‘Are we ever going to get going?’

People want to talk, to express their frustration, anger, sadness, sorrow, and Covid experience. I see God at work in these relationships. One friend stopped me to ask me why there was all this suffering in the world. ‘How could God allow Covid?’ Honest to goodness, that was the opening line!

Another had a wee terrier, and one day he died. She had only just lost her partner in the first lockdown, so it was a double blow. I met her on the path, walking as if the dog was still with her, and I felt the urge to invite her to coffee. So now we meet in a cafe, and she is working through her grief. I find the discipleship emails helpful – they make good starting points for our conversation.

Reflection

It seems as though a huge part of Jesus’ life involved being interrupted! So many of the miracles we love in the Gospels occur when Jesus stops, with compassion and healing power, for someone interrupting His travels. Of course, some interruptions are distractions, and some are opportunities, and Jesus had the wisdom and discernment to know the difference.

Susan had to take off her earphones and remove herself from her ‘Christian bubble’ to be ready for interruptions to her dog-walking route and notice the opportunities around her.

When major national and global tragedies happen, such as the Covid pandemic, friends may ask for our perspective or know we are a safe place to express their concerns. When major events happen for individuals in a community, our time there gives us a particularly privileged position to show love and concern.

Prayer

Lord, help me know when an interruption to my day is an opportunity to represent You well. Help me know when to ‘take off my earphones’ and focus on the people you’ve placed with me. When others share their concerns and ask questions, help me take time to truly listen and respond in a way that pleases You.