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Packing Light

7/17/2012

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This morning, I am heading out on a road trip to Peoria, Illinois along with my wife Connie, Grandma Daniels and my daughter Allison. We are going to celebrate my daughter Rachel’s graduation from a discipleship/ministry training called A4.

Our intent is to leave a little later this morning and avoid rush hour traffic in the cities. I have our route printed from map quest, showing step by step mileage, estimated time, road designations, and if there are any detours or toll roads. The route has been programmed into Garmin, our affectionate GPS with a female British voice. Snacks have been selected, books and magazines will come along to peruse during the eight and a half hour ride.

Tonight is a gathering of the A4 graduates, instructors and parents at the host home the graduates have stayed in primarily over the past eleven months. We are a little uncertain how formal the graduation ceremony will be. Do we include a more “dressy” set of clothing or not?

In the back portion of the car will be the luggage for the four of us for a three day, two night stay. We are also bringing two coolers. Connie gave me the heads up on the coolers, which Grandma has insisted upon for the snacks and fixings for meals on the road. I am hoping they are smaller, but just in case I am bringing straps as a back-up if we are not able to fit when we add Rachel’s luggage from nine months of schooling. It would be an unpleasant pickle if we brought too much and did not have room for bringing Rachel or her stuff home.

Pack light people.

Jesus told His key followers, the twelve disciples, to pack light.

Luke 9:1-6 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 preach 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 tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.

They had a job to do and needed to be free from things that would distract or load them down. This passage makes us aware about packing light for life. Most of us prepare more for a road trip or vacation than we prepare for kingdom work. What if we were as intentional about planning the route for our lives each day or week?

How?
  •  Holy Spirit GPS - The Holy Spirit can find the best route, let us know about detours, construction and when life might cost some toll charges.
  • Bible – keep the Bible at your workplace, school, or car for the best reading material. 
  • Snacks – the Bible describes memorizing passages of the Bible as sweet morsels!
  • Pack light – if the stuff you have that once brought satisfaction is now a chore, leave it behind.

It would be an unpleasant pickle if we were so loaded down in life that we did not have room to do the things that the LORD has called us to do.

Pack light people!


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    Mark Radeke

    Husband of one, father of five, pastor and friend of many.

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