Saying “Yes” to Jesus’ Invitation
By: Sara Payne, Magnify Missions Coach
Email: sara@magnifymissions.com
Me, 25 years later, at Camp Castaway.
Two of the greatest loves of my life were discovered at a Young Life Camp the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of high school. One of them as you can guess was Jesus. The other was coffee. They pulled out all of the stops at this camp and had a giant coffee bar with every creamer and topping you could imagine. It was love at first taste. The camp was pivotal in my faith journey and was one of the first places where I really experienced a vibrant and alive form of Christianity. I had come with my Catholic youth group which was incredibly unique in and of itself. I’m pretty sure it was the first and only time the youth group ever went to that kind of camp, and it changed my life. It was really at that point in my life when I began to associate coffee with Jesus, and it’s been a steady theme for me. Later in life after college I spent a two year internship in Hungary as a missionary where I would meet dozens of students at coffee shops and cafes to share my faith or do bible students. After my time in Hungary, I worked at a Starbucks before becoming a teacher. God used that job to not only restore my soul after a brutal overseas experience but to help me discover a passion for making coffee.
Coffee has been a common thread in my faith journey. I’ve had hundreds, possibly thousands of coffee dates connecting with people, sharing my faith, or processing life. There is a sense of comfort and camaraderie for me when I sit down with a cup of coffee and my bible. It causes me to slow down and savor those quiet moments - a hot drink can’t be gulped. It causes me to taste and see the Lord’s goodness. It allows me to connect with an intimate friend who isn’t in a rush. In our hurried ever busy world, we get cups of coffee in the drive thru and drink them as we’re rushing to the next place or errand. Recently I read John Mark Comers’ Practicing the Way, which focuses on Jesus' approach to discipleship and what it meant to be his disciple and to just be with Jesus. Jesus had full days, but He was never in a hurry. He made time to be with the Father, and remained connected to Him as he did the work. He made time to be with his disciples and the people in each community he visited. In essence Jesus lived and worked like he was regularly drinking a hot cup of coffee or tea - unrushed and focused on relationships.
Being With Jesus - Slowing Down & Savoring
“Be still and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10
I’m a Type A first born and an Enneagram 1. This translates into - a woman who likes making and marking off to do lists, taking on too much responsibility (thank you to counseling for helping me on this one), a need for productivity and making things right or good, and a real struggle to sit down and rest. I often joke that I am a Martha who wants to be a Mary. It’s taken some real resolve and discipline to make time with the Lord my first priority over all that needs to get done. As John Mark Comer notes in Practicing the Way, “Apprenticeship to Jesus - that is, following Jesus - is a whole -life process of being with Jesus for the purpose of becoming like him and carrying on his work in the world” and he later writes, “you must choose to accept Jesus’ invitation to a life of apprenticeship.” I’ve had to be intentional about slowing down and creating space to meet with the Lord. What we value is reflected in our schedules and calendars and I’ve had to reevaluate what I say my priorities really are when it comes to Jesus. Here are a few habits that have helped me slow down and savor time with Jesus:
Making Him a priority - I’ve had to create a mindset that sees time with Jesus NOT as a tag on an item, but rather as a necessity. In some shape or form it’s a part of every day. Our schedules and calendars reflect our priorities. I’ve had different moments of being convicted about the fact that I got my work out for the day, but not my time with the Lord. If it’s a challenge for you, put it on your calendar each day so you can visually see it and then stay committed to it.
Giving Him my first fruits - I’m at my best in the morning. Also, the days I don’t start with Him lack a focus and centering on His priorities and often shift to my own. Sometimes, I try to get up earlier and my daughter somehow catches wind of it and my whole plan is ruined. So then it’s my first activity during her nap time. If I try to meet with Jesus as night I’m falling asleep and it basically is a losing battle. Still some time with Him, even if it’s at night, is better than no time at all.
Finding a special place to meet - Jesus had some special spots that He would regularly return to in order to meet with the Father. I’ve found that it’s really helpful to have a special place in my home where I regularly meet with the Lord. In the warmer months, I go to our sunny porch. In the winter months especially at Christmas, I cozy up with a blanket in my favorite comfy chair and sit by the glow of the tree. In this most recent season, I’ve found myself at the dining room table, looking out at our big windows to see the new life springing up and watching birds happily munching at the bird feeders I put up this winter.
So as I slow down and savor these moments with Jesus, I also am actively finding ways to remember His character and faithfulness to me.
Becoming Like Jesus - Tasting & Seeing God’s Goodness
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” -Psalm 34:8
I come from a family of people who love to eat. Growing up my mother made almost everything homemade- the smell of fresh baked bread or a pan of brownies coming out of the oven are a part of my childhood memories. I myself love to make baked goods - scones, muffins, breads and now I get to share that with my little girl. It’s amazing that God designed us in a way that one of our basic needs is met in the gift and enjoyment of eating and drinking. Good food shared with others is such a joy. Like slowing down and savoring, tasting and seeing God’s goodness is another element of our faith that has to be cultivated. Jesus was continually giving thanks and He also revolved so much of his life around connection - with people and with God. I’ve found that these practices have helped me to follow in His footsteps, which has resulted in truly experiencing the goodness of God in the different facets of my life.
Practice Gratitude
A few years ago, my mother shared with me a short phrase about prayer that she had come across in her reading. It said if you only have tomorrow what you gave thanks for today, what would you still have in the morning? That has stuck with me all of these years, and as a result I’ve tried to cultivate a heart of gratitude. Scripture is filled with reminders to praise God and give thanks. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” -1 Chronicles 16:34. Some practical ways to do this are through this concept called, Stones of Remembrance, which is just posting or putting out pictures and objects that remind you of God’s faithfulness. This idea was based on Joshua 4:9, “Joshua set up twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.” These stones were put up as a visible tangible reminder of God’s faithfulness and presence. I’ve found that putting up those same visible, tangible reminders in my own home draws my heart to give thanks. Recently we also discovered a tool called the Gratikube, which has been another fun way for our family to practice gratitude at the dinner table as we reflect on ways God showed up for us that day or week.
Build Community
When I’m with people who love Jesus, I can’t help but taste and see His goodness. Some of my most purposeful and meaningful relationships have been when I’ve had a spiritual mentor and/or been one myself. In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer writes,“Community is like the incubator for our spiritual formation. As Dr. Joseph Hellerman put it, ‘Long-term interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life. People who stay also grow. People who leave do not grow.” Several years ago I was actively working with Youth for Christ, which is a ministry that serves middle and high school kids. A sophomore had reached out to the leaders and was looking for someone who could take her through the Bible stories. She hadn’t been in Sunday school as a kid and felt like she was really lacking in her Bible knowledge. It was a wonderful experience for both of us! I loved seeing and hearing her perspective on what she was learning about God and how she was applying it. I’ve also greatly benefitted from having different spiritual mentors in my own life. In more recent years, I felt that I really wanted and needed one again as I navigated life as a wife and now a mama. I found a lady at church whose walk and life I really respected, and I asked her if she would be my mentor. Our relationship has evolved over different seasons - sometimes we just meet and chat about life and at other points we’ve done a book together such as Richard J. Foster’s Celebration of Disciplines. I’ve also found that regularly meeting with other godly women and being a part of a small group have spurred me on in my connection to Jesus. Our small group has really focused on doing life together - sharing meals, our burdens, our joys, and pointing each other towards Jesus.
Spiritual Disciplines
I’ve found that engaging in different rhythms and seasons throughout the year has also helped me to better connect with God’s goodness. I’ve focused on different spiritual disciplines and practices. I like changing up and rotating my devotionals especially to help me focus on different aspects of the character of God. Two of my favorites are Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest and A.W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy. In Advent and Lent I really enjoy devotionals that are uniquely focused on preparing my heart and mind to celebrate those holidays from a Christ-like perspective. I also have enjoyed using a variety of tools that help inspire and inform my prayer life. I’ve found that changing up my routine or my approach helps me to engage with Jesus in fresh new ways.
Doing as Jesus Did - Staying Connected
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain the vine.” John 15:4
Recently I was faced with a medical scare. I found a hard lump in my stomach that I had never noticed before and that I knew should not be there. I immediately thought it was cancer and for a good week ( until I could get results) I wrestled with fears and doubts about what was next for me and my family. Praise God the results showed that I do not have cancer, but a more minor medical issue that needs to be addressed but isn’t life threatening. I found myself coming to Jesus often and vulnerably. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to get through this without the Lord, and I also found peace in the fact that He knows every fiber of my being and nothing is a surprise to Him. I was truly scared and it made me think about my life and what matters to me. Am I living how I want to be? Who do I still want to share my faith with? What can I do to prepare my family for losing me? Ultimately Jesus was living with this perspective during his entire ministry. He knew He was going to die and He was continually preparing His followers for that outcome and the work that would follow - His death and resurrection. He knew time was precious and short and He was intentionally modeling and preparing them to carry on His work. How does someone walk toward death and still do the work they are called to? They stay connected to the Father. Jesus was continually walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and connected to the Father’s presence. He modeled what it takes to do the work in a fallen, sinful world. In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer writes, “In Jesus’ incarnation we also see what a real, true human being is like. We see what God had in mind from the beginning - what human beings have the potential to become if reunited with God.” Jesus shows us what is possible if we remain in Him as He is in the Father. John Mark Comer outlines three rhythms that outline the fruit of this connection: making space for the Gospel, preaching the Gospel, and demonstrating the Gospel.
Making Space - Show Hospitality
Practicing hospitality is how Comer defines making space for the Gospel. My husband and I both have a heart for this and have outlined it as a core value, so I really resonated with this point. We regularly invite people into our home to share in meals, and in the past we’ve hosted a class to teach people this art. Jesus was constantly sharing meals - eating and drinking around lots of different tables with all kinds of people. Community and connection happen around tables. As John Mark Comer notes, “We can’t force a person to become a disciple of Jesus, nor would we want to. But we can offer them a space where such change can occur, even slowly over time.” Inviting people into your home to share a meal is such a simple way to connect, but it’s severely underutilized. Consider making space in your life and home at least once a month to invite people in.
Preaching & Demonstrating the Gospel - Be a Neighbor
We have some neighbors whom we’ve really grown to love. They have three little girls and a little boy due any day now. Based on conversations, they aren’t opposed to Jesus or the Gospel, but they aren’t connected to a church and aren’t actively pursuing faith. We grab each other’s trash cans and have friendly conversations. Their girls are invited to use our swing and trampoline. We’ve made ourselves available to them and had them over for dinner. I’ve invited the mom to a mom’s group at my church. When a new baby is born, we take over a meal. For this most recent baby, my husband had the idea to do a meal train. They had never had this before, and were very excited to take us up on the offer. We aren’t verbally sharing the Gospel, but they know we love Jesus and we are trying to show them what life with Him looks like. We’re inviting them to get to know our friend.
An Invitation
Jesus is still seeking and inviting people to follow Him. He is still looking for disciples. Wherever you’re at in life, you are invited. It’s not just a one time invitation either; it’s a daily invite. I like to think of it as having a coffee date every day. This is His call to you… He’s waiting to meet with you. John Mark Comer writes, “We will make our home somewhere, the question is “Where?” And this matters, because whatever we ‘abide’ in will determine the ‘fruit of our lives, for good or for ill.” When I refuse the invitation or miss it, then I miss my friend, but I also miss the end result - a life of bearing fruit. Make the time to slow down and meet with Him. Taste and see His goodness and connect with your best friend. Then just like a good cup of coffee, share Him with others.
Download this free resource to help you reflect on and find ways to Saying “Yes” to Jesus’ Invitation.
Sara Payne is first and foremost a beloved child of God. She likes to surround herself with people who love Jesus, be out in nature, work out, cook, and drink delicious cups of coffee. She is married to Ryan, an amazing man who loves Jesus, and also is (in her opinion) a rock star with a band called Attaboy. They have one beautiful little girl named Isabella, who is a joy and delight! Sara’s first job after college was as a missionary serving overseas in Budapest, Hungary. She then transitioned into being a full time English teacher in a PBL school on the south side of Indianapolis, IN. There her mission field was high school students. After getting married, she worked for Magnify Learning as a Branding Manager and PBL facilitator. Since becoming a mama, she now works for Magnify Missions where she is able to combine her love of missions and teaching to serve and coach missionaries and Christian entrepreneurs around the world.
