Authored to do God's Will

Today’s Scripture readings, Proverbs 30: 5-9 and Luke 9:1-6, both speak of trusting the Lord. The author of Proverbs asks the Lord to “give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; lest, being full, I deny you, saying, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.” In the Gospel Jesus sends His apostles out to preach the Good News, giving “them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, …to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” He then says to them: “Take nothing”  [with you]…neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.”

Wow! Trust, trust, trust that God will provide.  I have a tendency to over prepare for everything, leaving nothing to chance, nothing to God’s power, really. I want no surprises, yet God is full of surprises and full of power. His grace is abundant and He always goes ahead of us to prepare the way. Where is my faith when I over prepare, when I hold back because “I’m not ready,” “I have not done enough research,” “I do not have this degree or that degree; I’m too limited.”

Jesus sent the 12 apostles forth to proclaim the Kingdom, to heal diseases, to cast out demons. Jesus gave them power and authority. Jesus also gives you and me power and authority whenever we are invited to go forth out of our comfort zones. Do I believe this? Do I act on faith when the Spirit beckons? Or, when the pastor of my parish or a parishioner asks me to get involved, do I say, “No, I’m not ready for that.”  When someone out the blue calls me up and says: Will you do such and such, do I say, “No, I don’t think I can do that,” when the disbelief is a hidden fear that God will not provide me with “the food I need”  to do that task?

Does Jesus walk away saddened by my refusal to trust, to believe?