Have you traveled from place-to-place or city-to-city? What did you do to prepare for your trip? Did you pack a suitcase with clothing, shoes, toiletries, and maybe a book or two? How would you feel if you traveled without taking anything with you? Would you be comfortable?
When we travel, we pack a suitcase with all we think we will need for the time we will be gone from home. We also will take additional cash and/or credit cards to pay for things. If we are driving, we might take along food to make sandwiches, chips, snacks, and drinks.
Jesus sends out His twelve apostles in pairs. He shared His divine powers with them. But He told them to take nothing with them. They were to take no food, no bag, and no money. In other words, they were to only take a walking staff and the clothes on their backs. And speaking of their clothing, they were not to have two garments on. When Jesus says not to wear two tunics, He was saying do not were an outer shirt or, as we might say, jacket. They were to only wear one shirt. That would make for some chilly nights, since they often used the other shirt as a blanket as well.
We might wonder why Jesus would give such detailed and restrictive instructions. I believe the answer is simple. Jesus wanted them to stretch their faith and trust God would provide. He still does this with us at times. He nudges us down a path or may even give us direct instructions to go down a path that we know we cannot navigate on our own. By doing what he wants us to, God causes us to stretch our faith. The more we learn to trust in God, the more we see him provide for us, and the more our faith grows.
I pray we all seek to follow where God is leading us. I pray we trust God to always provide for us. I pray each one of us step out in faith, depend on God, and grow our faith. Choose to follow God. Trust God will provide. Step out in faith. Watch God work. Grow your faith.
Mark 6:7-9 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.
Marty Pressey 