“Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities” (Matthew 11:1).
Many of the towns that the disciples came from rejected the Gospel. Jesus gave a woe to three of them and to this day, there are no longer towns there. We go and proclaim anyway. Everyone should have the opportunity to receive the Gospel. We do not choose, our Lord does. The light comes to us and we are to reflect that light. If we stand in the way, it casts a shadow. Our Lord is telling us to look both ways as we live life.
Lord, this life You have given me is not just about me. You have called for me to live in the goodness of Your grace and mercy and to share the truth of my life with others. Guide me in the way to live life so that I too proclaim the truth of You in my life to others by word and deed. Lead me to see that in You I have eternal hope and the only future worth living. Continue to teach me that I may share what You have taught me.
Lord Jesus, many times Your words are difficult for me to understand. It often seems You are saying two different things. Help me to trust that You are continuing to do Your work in me. Let me not stop with myself, nor even with the reaction of others, but to press on, doing what You give me to do. Lead me in the way You know I need to go and give me the fortitude to always press on. Amen.
