Let Go of That Agenda!

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In the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 10, we read about Jesus sending out the seventy-two disciples.  He sends them out with none of the usual things one would need for traveling.  We are to understand that he does not want them to be attached to their possessions along the way.

Jesus gives them the power to fight off evil, using just his name and the power he has given.

When I think about this, I think about the mission each of us shares with the disciples.  We, too, are to "go out" into the world and face evil and bring peace.

When you think about it, we are to leave our agendas behind.  Especially for lay ministers who work in the Church, this is a good reminder to go forward, empty-handed, trusting that God will provide what we need.  So often we approach ministry with a certain mindset.  We have to organize this and offer that, in order to bring people on board.

But, what if we were to be fully dependent on God to show us the way?  What if the plans we make or the agenda we follow were completely his?  What if we leave behind those things we think we need and allow him to surprise us by his power?

One final warning in Luke, Chapter 10.  When the disciples returned, Jesus told them not to rejoice because of the effectiveness of the power they had been given, but to rejoice because their names were written in heaven.

Hope in our final destiny is cause for our joy in the Lord.  That is a good thing for us to keep in mind.  

What are you hoping will be your final destiny?

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.blogspot.com
jmtcm2@gmail.com

 

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