Packing Light

He told them: "Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt." (Luke 9:3)

Last spring our family took a little trip together during our daughter's school break. We drove nine hours one way to spend two days in a hotel in a snowstorm. Then we drove

another nine hours home to spend another day in that same storm that somehow managed to follow us home! While packing for our quick getaway, my husband and I thought we could just share our "large" suitcase. I tried to pack light. Really, I did. But soon my husband was lugging another suitcase upstairs for himself. No matter how hard I try, my suitcase always bulges. Of course there were sweaters I didn't even wear, hand lotions I didn't need, medicines and toiletries that remained untouched for the duration of our trip; but how could I not take them "just in case"? It makes me wonder how I would have fared if I had been one of the twelve sent out by Jesus and ordered to "take nothing for the journey"! Not a staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no
extra sweater...oh, my! How did they do it? As I read this story today it struck me that the apostles could have easily become arrogant and self reliant as they journeyed
throughout Galilee, demonstrating the incredible power and authority that Jesus had given them...gifted to them! Their light packing probably did a good job of keeping them
humble and completely dependent on God as they traveled, preaching and healing. When Jesus empowers me for a task or grants success in my corner of ministry, I want
to stay empty-handed before Him, totally dependent on Him. I want to learn to take nothing for my journey too, but find my all in all in Him!

How has God taught you to "pack light" and stay dependent on Him? Meet me in the devotionals or for a private chat meet me in the forums.

Erin Evans is the wife of John Evans, Pastor of Community Baptist Church in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, where she has served as Worship Director for the past 8 years. They have been married for 14 years, and their growing family includes three beautiful daughters - Clara, Elizabeth, and Ella.

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Life in the Spirit Part 1: When You Find "Fleshliness"... Be Filled

"Do not get drunk on wine... Instead, be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18)

Paul uses a fitting directive to illustrate an important: Instead of being drunk with wine, be filled with the Spirit. It's more than just a simple "do not" but also "understand the better way."

Perhaps you've witnessed someone exhibiting their not so shining behavior when under the influence of alcohol or maybe you've just heard the stories. Either way, you've probably realized they become capable of doing things incredibly far outside of their normal realm when under the influence. Why? Alcohol takes over. The person is no longer in control but is forced to yield to the influence.

Paul's alternative is to be filled with the Spirit. He wants us to understand that likewise, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are also not in control. While they both rely on being under the influence of another, the results are very different. Rather than acting out of control, we are instructed to yield to the direction and leading of the Holy Spirit.

How do we know if we are yielding to the control of the Holy Spirit? Galatians 5:16-23 paints a candid picture of life in the flesh and life in the Spirit. These lists are both prescriptive (things we put effort forth) and descriptive (things to watch for) but when we read them exclusive one or the other, we can quickly lose focus.

¹⁶So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

I visit the doctor in hopes of getting healthy. I describe a list of symptoms I've been experiencing. Then the doctor will use his expertise to hopefully assess my symptoms, diagnose me and prescribe what I need.

The same is true for this passage. If, when I hold my life up to the light of this passage and merely try to avoid these behaviors rather than realizing that they also indicate the condition of my heart, I miss the point. It would be like me having an oozing wound on my leg and the doctor prescribing me to just wear pants.

The acts of the flesh are undoubtedly behaviors and habits we should avoid, but life in the Spirit can't be simplified to a checklist of "do's" and "don'ts". The acts of the flesh are also symptoms.

As I ask the Holy Spirit to run my heart through the scriptural diagnosis of those verses, I will confess, I've found a few things that I need Him to deal. There are times when jealousy threatens to creep into my heart over what another woman can do in ministry. There are times when my flesh wants to respond in a fit of rage when I'm ministering to a woman who in lieu of obeying God just wants Him to show her the way for the 47^th time rather do what He's already told her. There are times when my selfish ambition tempts me to think that I've done enough and it's time to take some time and rest for me.

I could say to myself, "I need to try harder to avoid these reactions but then I've merely wallpapered over my condition rather than let the Great Physician deal with it.