Matthew 28:19-20
Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Sometimes I think it would be so incredible to visit the Holy Lands. And if you know me very well, you know how much I dislike travel, so for me to say this is HUGE! But it has occurred to me that to walk where Jesus walked… to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane… to visit the places He visited and sense His presence there… would be an amazing, life-changing event.
Then I take a walk on the access road above the hiking trail near our house, and I look at the dozens, if not hundreds, of perfect leaf specimens that are pressed against the asphalt by a recent rain. And I realize that my notion that I would feel closer to Jesus in the Holy Lands is totally blown to bits.
We don’t have to go anywhere to experience Jesus… He is with us already, right where we are. He’s in every leaf, every stick, every rock… and the very air we breathe. If we are in tune with Him and listening for His voice, we can almost feel His pulse alongside ours. We can certainly experience the power of His presence as we boldly proclaim His Good News to others.
Being a disciple of Christ is heavy duty stuff! The commission given us by Jesus to make disciples, baptize in His name, and teach others what He has taught us is no small task… and certainly should not be taken lightly. But we have everything we need to accomplish this… right here, right now.
We don’t have to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands or anywhere else. Jesus lives in and through us… and He isn’t going anywhere! The question is… are we recognizing His presence? Are we acknowledging His power and tapping into His strength to accomplish incredible things? Isn’t it time we began?
What’s holding you back today? Ask God to empower you… to awaken you to His presence in your heart… and to give you the strength and courage to serve as His disciple. And take a look around and see where you can recognize His presence in even the “leaves and sticks” on your trail.
©2010 Debbie Robus
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