Jesus commanded His disciples to "take nothing for the journey." This does not mean that they had nothing but that they did not control whether or not they would have something. Jesus later "asked them, 'When I sent you on mission without purse or traveling bag or sandals, were you in need of anything?' 'Not a thing,' they replied" (Lk 22:35). Jesus' disciples did not live in poverty so much as in trust.
When we take nothing for our life's journey but trust, we not only see our Father's providence for us, His children, but we also see miracles as we go "spreading the good news everywhere and curing diseases" (Lk 9:6). This makes credible our proclamation that the kingdom of God is at hand (see Lk 9:2). Thus, trust is not only the atmosphere for our journey but also the foundation for our mission.
If we try to control our lives, we will lose them (see Lk 9:24). If we give God control of our lives, we will gain them. Trust frees us from the tyrannical compulsion to control our lives. Trust frees us to receive Abba's love and power. "Trust in Him at all times, O my people!" (Ps 62:9)
| PRAYER: | Father, in You we trust! |
| PROMISE: | "He has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem." –Ezr 9:9 |
| PRAISE: | After surviving the loss of everything in the wildfires, James and his family thanked God. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College