WATCHWORD:
16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had said they would find him. 17 There they met him and worshiped him—but some of them weren’t sure it really was Jesus! 18 He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. 19 Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Matthew 18:16-20
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. Psalm 119:105-106
Meditation:
I Wish, I Wish, I Wish
Did you ever wish for something you didn’t have? Well, that’s a silly question, if you had it you wouldn’t wish for it. I think we all go through those times when we wish we were somewhere else. When the temperature is below zero, and even in our heated house we had a chill, maybe we wish we were in Florida. There’s an old saying, if wishes were fishes no one would go hungry.
When we’re kids, we may have a long list of wishes. In my early life, I wished my name was not Stanley, because the older kids in the neighborhood would make fun of that. I wanted to be Bill or Pete or Jack, now those were names that suggested strength, in my young mind.
I had an uncle who was a missionary in China just before the start of World War II. In my young imagination, I saw my uncle Harold doing heroic things under difficult circumstances. He and his wife slipped out of China and made it back to New Jersey as America entered the war. The stories he told filled my young mind with amazing images of missionary service, those images became dreams for my future.
When one of my friends traveled to third world countries to assist in the drilling of fresh water wells, that simply added to my understanding of missionary work. I began to understand more clearly that missionaries were ordinary people who because of God’s purpose for their lives, accomplished extraordinary, things.
How do you share the power of Jesus the Christ when drilling a well? You do, just by being there and drilling that well and interacting with the people. How do you minister to little children, most of them hungry, and teaching them of God’s love? You do, by showing up and showing love.
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things, in the most common, ordinary ways. How about you and me, are we missionaries in our own community? What has God called us to do, you and me? What is our purpose? Do you sense a call from God that you are resisting because maybe the lift would be too heavy, or the challenge too great? Maybe you are not cut out for that. Or, maybe… Or, maybe…
What does our resisting, excusing ourselves, say about our trust in God? Do we believe that God would never give us anything we can’t handle through Christ who strengthens us? We say we believe that. Do we, when God’s call comes to us? We should pray about the call, then act with confidence in God.
Missionaries in difficult circumstances. Well drillers in third world countries. Teachers to disadvantaged children. You and me in our communities. What are we doing? That is the point. Sharing the Word, imitating our Lord by our presence and actions. That is what Jesus commands His followers to do, “Go, and make disciples, in the name of Jesus.” Amen.
From Old Dusty Copies of Devotionals:
Bow not as one who is resigned to some heavy blow about to fall or to the acceptance of some inevitable decision. Bow as a child bows, in anticipation of a glad surprise being prepared for it by one who loves it. Bow in such a way, just waiting to hear the loving word to raise your head and see the Glory and Joy and wonder of your surprise. In God Calling. 1954 Edition.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, I pray that we would remember that You are a light amid the darkness. Jesus, thank You for enduring the road to the cross and defeating the darkness of sin that overshadowed any hope for us. Let Your Holy Spirit lead us God and press us to engage Your word that it may be coming alive always in our hearts, and clear our minds. It’s in the name of Jesus that we pray, the name that is above every name. Amen.
