These were Jesus’ instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

Devotion based on Mark 6:8-11

Can you imagine going on a long business trip without taking along any luggage, food, or money? It would be unthinkable, right?

But that’s what Jesus told his twelve disciples to do. When he sent them out on a preaching trip in groups of two, he told them to take along nothing but a walking stick, the clothes on their back, and the sandals on their feet.

It’s unthinkable, right? Why would he make such a big demand of them? Because he was teaching them to trust God to provide. They were to have complete trust that God would provide the food, shelter, and protection they needed day by day.

He did this through the generosity of those who believed their message and opened their homes to them. This freed the disciples from worrying about the necessities of life so they could spend their time sharing the message of eternal life.

This message, however, would not be appreciated by everyone. Some would reject it. When that happened, the disciples were to shake that place’s dust off their feet as a warning that God would reject anyone who rejects the messengers of his Son. How could he not? God’s messengers are sent with his authority and rejecting them is tantamount to rejecting him (Luke 10:16).

And where do we fit into all this? You may not be one of the twelve original disciples, but Jesus also commands you to proclaim his Word and trust him to provide for your needs.

You can expect the same divine care the disciples received, as well as the same mixed reception. Like the disciples, you are responsible for speaking the Word, and God is responsible for the results. So anchor your trust in the Savior who sends you with his authority and rules all things for your good.

Prayer: