As I read the bible this morning I was struck by two passages in Luke 9 and 10. In the first, Jesus was speaking to his 12 disciples and in the second it was to a group of 72. In both cases, Jesus was sending his followers out to the towns and villages. They were told to heal the sick, deliver demons, and speak of the coming of the kingdom of God. What caught my attention was that he told them not to take anything with them on the journey; No extra shoes, money, food or clothes. I’ve read this passage dozens of times and I don’t think it’s ever struck me like it did this morning. The things Jesus told them not to bring were necessities. They were not frivolous extras. They seemed to me to be things they needed for the journey. Why would he want them to travel so unprepared? Didn’t he want them safe? As I thought about it I realized although he did want them safe, more importantly, he wanted them fully dependant on God!
How different is my calling today? Ok, maybe I’m not told not to bring an extra tunic, or pair of sandals, but I do need to fully rely and depend on him. The lingo may be different but my calling is the same!
