He sent the apostles out to tell about God’s kingdom and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for your trip, neither a walking stick, bag, bread, money, or extra clothes.” [Luke 9:2-3 (NCV)]
I think of Jesus’ instructions every time I pack for a trip! Take only what I’ve got on my back and the one pair of shoes on my feet? He’s got to be kidding! When we’re taking a trip, wanting to be prepared for any eventuality, it seems like I pack everything but the kitchen sink!
Wanting to visit family and friends and enjoy the fall colors, we took a three-week road trip from southwest Florida north to Illinois and back a few years ago. With casual and formal occasions planned in both rural and city locales, we packed plenty of clothes and shoes. We also packed essentials like prescriptions, toiletries, camera, phones, iPads, and assorted chargers along with back packs, sweatshirts, jackets, and rain gear. The car was stocked with snacks, bottled water, maps, and Fodor’s guidebooks. Even then, we weren’t prepared for every eventuality. Unprepared for snow in the mountains, we needed a snow brush/ice scraper and I purchased a fleece vest and warm hat!
Unlike the disciples, we’d spent weeks researching and planning our trip. Because we made hotel reservations for the entire journey, we knew where we’d rest our heads during our travels. We even made some dinner reservations in advance! As for money, we had both credit cards and cash but the disciples had neither! They were expected to depend on the good will and hospitality of the towns they visited.
Jesus, however, wasn’t sending the disciples on a vacation—they were on a God-ordained mission and Jesus was training them. This was an opportunity for the disciples to put into practice the principles He taught them. Jesus wanted His followers to understand that, when doing God’s business, they could and should rely on Him (rather than themselves) for their needs. Rather than putting their faith in TripIt, Google Maps, or AAA, they had to trust God with their journey.
Moreover, Jesus knew His time on earth was short—the disciples’ assignment was urgent and He wanted them to focus on the mission rather than logistics. As for receiving hospitality—welcoming the traveler or sojourner was a cultural obligation in Jesus’ day. The sharing of food was a token of friendship and a perfect setting for them to develop relationships while passing on the good news about Jesus. The first evangelism assignments taught Jesus’ followers the simple but profound lesson that, ultimately, our provision comes from God, not gear!
Had I been one of the disciples, would I have taken nothing with me as instructed? Would I have trusted God to provide everything I needed or would I have worried about my next meal or where I’d rest my head at night? Would I have tucked away some money or a few pieces of bread in my pocket “just in case”? What about you?
Each of us may be sure that if God sends us on stony paths He will provide us with strong shoes, and He will not send us out on any journey for which He does not equip us well. [Alexander MacLaren]
When my eldest grand took advanced calculus, I could neither understand what she was doing nor the purpose in doing it (other than gaining entrance into a good university). The following year, she took something called discrete math. Since I was thinking “discreet,” I couldn’t understand how numbers could be cautious or prudent. Even when she explained “discrete” means “individually separate and distinct” and discrete math is the basis for much of computer science, statistics, and programming, I remained in the dark. Fortunately, I wasn’t the one taking SATs and making application to colleges, so I didn’t need to make sense of her difficult curriculum.
“The Lord is my portion,” wrote the prophet Jeremiah. Throughout the Bible, a wide variety of metaphors are used to describe God— rock, refuge, shield, shepherd, fortress, potter, and light—but portion is one of my favorites. Portion refers to one’s share—be it of plunder, an inheritance, or food. Not being a soldier, I can’t relate to the spoils of war and I’ve seen way too many inheritances argued over or squandered to associate those meanings with God. Food, however, is something to which we all can relate.
That smiling bride in today’s photo is my mother. Taken at her wedding eighty-eight years ago, it’s one of the few photos I have of her. A quiet unassuming woman, I don’t think she thought of herself as pretty and she disliked having her picture taken. Nevertheless, even with her freckled face, unruly hair, overbite, thick glasses and hearing aid, my mother was the most beautiful woman I’ve known…and her smile could light up a room.
Several years ago, an entertainment network did a story on the highlights of Charlotte, North Carolina. Since the Billy Graham Library was considered a point of interest, it was visited by the show’s co-host Kristy Villa and her film crew. Commenting on the many crosses she saw throughout the property, Villa asked, “I see all the crosses, but where is Jesus?” Her guide simply replied, “He’s in Heaven,” adding, ”He is also present in the lives of those who believe in Him and follow Him as their personal Lord and Savior.” Villa exclaimed, “Oh, that’s right! Some worship a crucifix, but Christians worship a risen Christ.” Indeed, Christ’s story doesn’t end with a dead man hanging on a cross. Nevertheless, rather than an empty cross, our emphasis should be on His empty tomb!
A Latin word, lorica originally meant armor or breastplate. Because of an ancient practice of inscribing a prayer on the armor or shields of knights who then recited the prayer before combat, lorica came to mean a prayer of protection.
