Today we look at a discipleship lifestyle that centers around the acronym RIO. Rio is the Spanish word for river. Have you ever tried to go white water rafting upstream? We both know it is hard enough to stay in the boat and make it through the rapids of life while going downstream. We will come back to that in a moment.
I believe God encouraged me to make these video blogs out of the overflow of my heart. I was to simply share what God was and is pouring into me. That’s at the core of discipleship.
We have been doing Heart of a Father videos for almost three years now. Recently I felt nudged that it is time to push pause on the videos. Therefore, next week will be our last video. However, there will still be a weekly written blog which we hope will be a blessing to you. I have been challenged to carve out some time to write discipleship materials. More specifically, I believe I am to finish a book that I started earlier this year. It is on the same theme of discipleship that we are addressing today.
When we are born again we enter into relationship with God and we receive a new spirit. We are new creations. But there is a lifelong process of seeing our mind and our body transformed. Unfortunately, many of us simply take a bystander approach. We stay on the banks of the river and don’t get in the water. We may have quite a bit of knowledge about the river but we do not jump in the boat and experience God and all His desires for us.
In the area of discipleship we usually do well by getting in the water. However, we try to go upstream – against the way God does things. What do I mean by that? First, I want to affirm the power of obedience, applying God’s word and being doers of it. It is important and it usually brings growth. However, what sustains our growth in God is God Himself and an intimate relationship with Him. This is where the flow is so important. With RIO the R is for Relationship, I stands for identity, and O is for Obedience. And the general flow of our life is in that order. Our Relationship with Jesus is what our entire life flows out of. In that place of relationship and intimacy we embrace our Identity as His sons and daughters. Then from that place of knowing we are loved lasting fruit will be produced as we walk in a lifestyle of Obedience.
This week surrender to God’s flow. Give up working for God’s acceptance and the approval of men. Rest in the finished work of Jesus on the cross and His love for you! Rest in your identity as His son or daughter. Then step out and obey what God is saying to do!
