After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'
Lord,
I marvel
that the message remains the same.
"The kingdom of God has come near."
That's the good news to share
in places, with people who extend grace and hospitality,
who love and are lovely...
"The kingdom of God has come near."
That's still the good news to share
in places that are hostile, with stiff necked people,
argumentative, hateful people,
who are anything but lovely...
"The kingdom of God has come near."
Whether welcomed and embraced or not,
the message is still the same,
"The Kingdom of God has come near."
Lord,
I am reminded of a plaque,
a graduation gift,
that hangs in my office:
"Bidden or not bidden God is present."
Lord,
sometimes we think
we can see your kingdom in our midst.
But other times it seems another force is at work,
and yet, "The kingdom of God has come near."
So open our eyes
to where the kingdom is
in those places of grace
AND the places that seem like hell.
for "The kingdom of God has come near."
Amen.