Powerfully Unburdened

Powerfully Unburdened

Read: Luke 9:1-6

“Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.”

Luke 9:3

“Be simple; take our Lord’s hand and walk through things.”

—Brother Andrew

IN WORD Jesus is commissioning His disciples for their first mission—to blanket the area with the good news of His kingdom. He gives them power and authority over demons and diseases, a considerable wealth to carry with them (v. 1). But He prohibits their carrying any materials. They are loaded with power but light as a feather. They can go in His strength and not in their own.

In a sense, this is how Jesus commissions all of us to go through this life. He gives us the incredible riches of being united with Him in faith, co-laboring with the Father and being fellow heirs of the Son’s kingdom. Jesus’ treasures are ours, from right standing with God to useful spiritual gifts. But He promises us no earthly status—no staff, no bag, no money, no second set of clothes. He is our provision, and we will not succeed on this mission until we are stripped of everything that might distract us from that fact. We only function correctly when we come face-to-face with our insufficiency. And we only accomplish our mission—living and communicating the kingdom of God—when we’re unencumbered by false props.

IN DEED How are you living out your mission? Are you drawing your strength from his power and authority? Or are you depending on the props? Those who go through life carrying sacks of provisions find themselves powerless; they have unwittingly confessed a mistrust in His providence. Those who go through life unencumbered find that His strength accompanies them in abundance.

What encumbers you? You will need to get rid of it, or at least change your attitude toward it. Know the difference between living in His power and on your self-reliance. They cannot coexist. Carry out your mission full of His strength and unburdened by your own.