Dave's Diary

Prayer

Before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 119:92-93

Lord, Your Word is my delight!
May I never forget Your precepts,
for by them You preserve my life. Amen.

Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your awareness to the voice of God, coming to you through His Word.

Reading

Matthew 10:1-16 

Jesus gave many instructions to the disciples in this passage. Some of them were specific to the mission He gave them in that moment. But, at the very least, the two in bold print below are definitely directly applicable to us as disciples today.

“⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” ⁸ Heal those who are ill, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give …¹⁶ be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

The word used in the Greek for Jesus “giving instructions” to His disciples (paragellein) has some very specific uses in the Greek language. It can refer to a teacher giving rules and precepts to his students, or even to a general briefing his soldiers for a campaign before they go. Jesus was like a teacher sending his students out into the world, and equipping them with His message, and His method.

Their message was to be that, in Jesus, the Kingdom of God and His eternal love and life had drawn near to humanity and was available to all who would receive it. They were also to demonstrate the proximity of the Kingdom by doing the works of the Kingdom, in the specific ways Jesus authorised them.

Healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing leprosy and defeating demonic powers are still effects of the Kingdom of God. It is more than possible that we may be called by Jesus to exercise these “works of the Kingdom” in the execution of our mission. But there are also many other works of the Kingdom of God throughout the Gospels, which we will also be called to do.

The important principle is that we are called to share the Good News of Jesus and to minister to the needs of others. We are not only to speak, but also to demonstrate with actions what we are saying in words; i.e., that, in Jesus, the Kingdom of God and His eternal love and life have drawn near to humanity, and they are available to all who will receive Him.

In relation to the command to be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves, we must accept that, in the execution of our mission, we will come across many difficult and confusing situations. In those moments, Jesus calls us to act with wisdom. We are not just to rush in. We are to consider carefully and prayerfully how Jesus wants us to handle the situation in wisdom / shrewdness. Then we are to ensure that we follow that course of action and that we do so from a pure heart of love – love for the Lord and love for the ones to whom we minister.

We are called to purity of heart and wisdom of action as we proclaim the Good News in both word and deed.

Contemplation

Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn this declaration over in your mind. Keep it in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ: 

• I will seek His wisdom.
• I will tell of His love and His Kingdom.
• I will demonstrate His love and His Kingdom.
• I will do so from a pure heart of love for others.

Lord Jesus, I trust in You! Grant me Your wisdom; impart to me Your heart of love for those I meet; open my mouth to speak of Your Kingdom and Your love; and empower me to demonstrate Your Kingdom and love in action. Amen.