The Secret to Packing Light
Are you ready for the unexpected? Most of us want to believe that we are. We try to prepare for what “may happen,†but we never truly know what waits for us around the next bend in life. We pack for a trip while going over a list of things we believe we must have with us. But Jesus told His disciples, “Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way†(Luke 10:4).
Mark records the Lord’s command this way: “Do not put on two tunics,†(Mark 6:8). In other words, travel light. There was a sense of urgency built into His words. There was no need for luggage or worrying over how to get a second bag checked. “Go!†was His command, “And do the work of the Father.†Everything else—all the unnecessary cares of this life only weigh us down.
God gives us the same direction: “Pack light—mentally and emotionally; go and don’t become entangled in the details that do not concern you. Do His work now, before it is too late.â€
It is crucial for light packers to remember they are not alone. Even though they could not see Him, Jesus was with His disciples. He is omnisciently aware of every challenge you face. After the seventy returned, He said: “[As you did the work I gave you to do] I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning†(Luke 10:18 emphasis added). There may be times when you wonder: Does He know how hard this is? Or Does He see what is taking place? The answer is yes, He knows, He sees, and He is with you.
Richard and Evelyn Forrest were probably two of the lightest packers among God’s earthly servants. They had all they needed for the journey God called them to travel: His Word, His promises, and the eternal hope that would never abandon them.
Are you packing light or are you weighted down by the cares of this world—cares that are not yours to bear? You only need one tunic and that is the tunic of faith in the One, who will never fail you.
(Taken from the online devotional book Grace in The Wilderness © 2008 tfchistory.com)