ListenDaily - 09 June 2009: Matamoros, part 2: Jesus will close the gap
"Then Jesus came to them..."
"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:16-20 NIV (find any passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
Good morning friends! Early this Saturday morning, I will be leaving Delaware, along with a group of youth and adults from my church, for a week of serving Christ in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico., the first of two trips this summer. The second is to Goldsboro, North Carolina. The Matamoros trip is planned for the 13 - 19 of June. During that time, may I ask you to pray for the following?
For our safety
For each of us to grow in Christ
For His Name to be glorified and His Kingdom expanded
In preparation, I thought the "Great Commission" passage was an appropriate one to study.
"Then Jesus came to them..."
I praise God for His patience, and His continual teaching. I have read this passage countless times, but until yesterday, I had never paid much attention to the phrase "some doubted". Today, this phrase, "then Jesus came to them" jumped off the page.
The eleven remaining disciples were obedient, they followed the steps to Jesus. They "...went to Galilee, to the mountain...they saw Him...they worshiped him..."
"...then Jesus came to them..."
Now I have to ask, does that strike you like it did me? The went to Galilee, climbed the mountain, saw Jesus, and worshipped Him...but stopped short of going to Him! This astounds me. They went all that way, did all that work, recognized Him for who He was, but stopped short of going to Him. I was amazed at this! How could they get so close to Jesus then stop short?
My amazement soon vanished. You see, I'm guilty of the same thing, and have often been. I have gone to church, or some other place to see Him. I have made the effort. I have recognized His presence and worshipped Him.
And I have stopped short of going all the way to Him.
Maybe you have experienced something similar. But I have good news! If we make it that far, if we come seeking Him, He will do for us what He did for the Eleven. "Jesus came to them..."
And He will come to you, if you will let Him.
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Questions to ask yourself:
1. Will you pray for our mission trip? 2. Have you ever left a time of worship and felt like you were so close to Jesus, but left without Him? 3. Have you offered your doubts to Jesus?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"You wonder why people choose fields away from the States when young people
at home are drifting because no one wants to take time to listen to their problems.
Ill tell you why I left. Because those Stateside young people have every opportunity to study,
hear, and understand the Word of God in their own language, and these Indians have no opportunity whatsoever.
I have had to make a cross of two logs, and lie down on it, to show the Indians what it means to crucify a man.
When there is that much ignorance over here and so much knowledge and opportunity over there,
I have no question in my mind why God sent me here.
Those whimpering Stateside young people will wake up on the Day of Judgment
condemned to worse fates than these demon-fearing Indians, because, having a Bible,
they were bored with it---while these never heard of such a thing as writing."
Jim Elliot
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