Matthew 10-12; Proverbs 4
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“Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before
you.” Proverbs 4:25
In Matthew chapter 10 Jesus sends out His disciples preaching and
performing miracles. He gives them
the power to do this. He tells
them not to take anything with them.
He tells them to be on guard because men would hand them over to be
arrested and flogged.
Knowing myself and how I react to things, I think this would be
quite a lot for me to take in. I
know I’d be scared. I know I’d be
thinking … what if I can’t do the
miracles you told me to do? What
if no one will let me stay with them?
I can’t get arrested! I
can’t beaten and questioned! What
in the world would I say if I got arrested? I wonder if the disciples were thinking any of the same
things when Jesus was telling them all this. I assume they probably were afraid because Jesus, knowing
all their thoughts and fears, tells them – do not worry; do not be afraid.
Jesus said, “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to
say or how to say it. At that time
you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit
of your Father speaking through you.”
He also reminds them that not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart
from God’s will … “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more
than many sparrows.
And the last part of Matthew chapter 10 that is so important, yet
again a little hard to take in, is being willing to leave everything behind to
follow Jesus. Nothing should come
in the way of following Him. It is
like the guy we read about in chapter 8 who wanted to follow Jesus but said he
just wanted to wait until his dad died and then he would. Jesus told him that he had to not worry
about that and just come on.
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my
sake will find it.”
Sometimes following Jesus and doing what He calls us to do can be
intimidating and scary, but He wants us to remember that He cares about us,
that He is with us and His Spirit gives us what we need, and that if we can
just let go of the control and the things we think we want or need He will show
us what life is really all about. “Let
your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.” Don’t look back, don’t bring along
baggage, fear, or worry, don’t hold onto control … just let go and just go.
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