Eyes on him who equips

In the gospel today, Jesus equips the apostles as he sends them to proclaim the Gospel.

in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover

This reminds us that whenever Christ asks us to do something, no matter how big or small, he will equip us. Come to think of it, astig yung sinabi ni Jesus. Para silang may super powers! Astig si God eh. The disciples probably did not know how to start, where to start, and how to handle challenges along the way. Nevertheless, the obeyed Jesus. They had faith in him. As a result, Jesus blessed them and kept his word.

But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs

However, Jesus also warns us that it will not be easy. The first reading tells us that there will be challenges. That the enemy will do his best to distract us from serving God, from putting our focus on God. However, we must remain steadfast, faithful and focused on God who already won the battle. We should humble ourselves and allow God to raise us up, allow God to fight for us because we cannot face the enemy without God

So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time.
Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.

Be sober and vigilant.
Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, steadfast in faith,
knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world
undergo the same sufferings.
The God of all grace
who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you
after you have suffered a little.

Do I have faith that as God calls me to do something, he will equip me? Do I want to see everything, his plans and what we are supposed to do, before we give our “yes” to serving him? As I serve, am I confident that God has already won the battle, yet humble enough to know that I need him to face the enemy? Amidst all the challenges, am I focused on God all the time?

May we have faith that when God calls us, he equips us – we just need to keep our focus on Him. Eyes on the prize.

God bless!