Thursday 24 March, 2016

Jesus sends some of his disciples on a short term mission. It’s interesting that Luke says nothing about what happened on the mission, but focussed entirely on the lessons they learned and the joy that resulted.

This mission was partly about what these disciples would do in the towns they went to, but mostly about what God would do in these disciples. They didn’t do anything that Jesus hadn’t already been doing. But God did something special in these disciples’ lives.

This pattern seems to be repeated over and over. I grow and am blessed beyond what I deserve simply by walking with my God where He goes, and taking my part in the things He’s doing.

Not everyone was chosen for this mission. Not the 12. “Seventy two other disciples”. We don’t even know their names. Undoubtedly Jesus would have done it better. Perhaps the 12 would have done it better. But Jesus chose these disciples. His authority was enough to achieve great things. His purpose in sending them was to achieve great things in their lives.

We are all called to be witnesses but God calls some to be evangelists: some for one mission, some for another; some for a short period of time, others for longer. Some are chosen to go (the 72), others take part by providing a home and food for them (v7).

I’m called to do my part, not someone else’s. And whatever part He calls me to will be a source of Joy if I walk faithfully in it.

Written by David Cornell