Enfolding

Elaine Lozier (and her husband David) was one of those folks who enfolded me in my early faith development.  I remember not wanting the gift of tongues because it seemed unimportant to me in the Bible.  She prayed that I would receive “that special gift” one night and I had asked the LORD to speak to me in some new way that morning.  In my spirit I heard clearly “Acts 2:4” so I asked the LORD if He wanted to give me that gift.  Then Elaine prayed for me and that same night I received the gift of tongues- what an amazing experience and edifying for me in private prayer to this day.  Whatever your theology is about tongues this principle of folks coming alongside other folks and helping them grow in the LORD is vital, so please read on:

Enfolding (Session 7):

 

Pray

 

Read Matthew 4:18-22; 5:1; 12:1; 14:36; 23:1-12, 28:16-20; John 15:9-17; Titus 2:1-6

 

Discipleship is more than Bible Studies once a week.  The model of Jesus is to walk together with friends in life.  We let others into our life and we into theirs.  That’s what it means to enfold someone and to be enfolded by someone.  That is the task we must endeavor to put into action.

 

Spend time with that person God puts on your heart to enfold at least on a monthly (preferably weekly) basis, share struggles and joys.  Use Scripture as a springboard for conversation.  Pray for each other.  Spend time together over coffee at a coffeehouse or another place.  Invite the person to church, Bible Study, or for dinner.  Do an errand and take the person along.  Do life together.  Talk on the phone, e-mail, write a letter, but take the person into what you’re doing also.  Find commonalities.  Men should walk alongside men, and women with women.  This is not so much mentoring as walking alongside each other and letting Jesus be the Teacher.

It’s also vital to do this in groups, at least of two and three because otherwise we tend to create codependent relationships.  Notice that Jesus had one on one meetings once in a while, but regularly his discipleship was enacted with groups of people.  The early church carried this practice on as well.  So consider joining others in the act of enfolding as well.

 

Assignment: Pray, ask God for and choose someone to enfold and someone to enfold you.  If you’re older you should look for a peer.  Continue as long as God calls you together.  And consider inviting others into the enfolding process as well.  In other words come along-side someone, but encourage that person to have others coming along-side him or her also.   

Pray