What’s in Your Suitcase? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt…” (Luke 9:1-3)
“Help!” The zipper on my suitcase broke.” That was the distress call I received last night from one of our Pearls team members who was packing for our eleven-day ministry trip. Meanwhile, I am trying to break a Guinness world record for most items in one suitcase. I am not opposed to sitting on a suitcase to make it close!
As we head out on our longest ministry trip to date, eleven days, we are like the early disciples in some ways and not so much in other ways. When Jesus commanded his disciples to not take a staff, bag, bread, money, or an extra shirt, that seems just about impossible for a Pearl girl. However, when Scripture says Jesus told the twelve to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick, we are ready and willing, because that is what our ministry is all about. We want to help women to be freed from the emotional shackles that prevent them from living life to the fullest.
I know this journey to Arkansas and Tennessee will be powerful because our enemy has already tried to take us down. Two of our team members have been sick with bad colds and I have been fighting one as I flood my system with vitamins. I wondered if Jesus also encouraged his disciples to take Vitamin C? There are always roadblocks attempting to stop the Truth in its tracks but God knows how to get around them.
One of those ways is to focus on the destination and not the trial. I am proud of the Pearls. They are not going to let a cold stop them from finding out what God has planned for us in Little Rock, Nashville, Franklin and Chattanooga. There are God appointments waiting everywhere!
What is preventing you from serving the Lord in the way you should? Is your suitcase packed so full of emotional baggage that you can’t get it closed? Then send your distress call to Jesus. Tell Him you are ready to be used by Him but can’t see past the problem to get to his destination for your life.
He will answer.
He will help you.
He wants to take the journey with you.