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Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

from “The Summons” by John L. Bell & Graham Maule

Listen

Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue as he normally did and stood up to read. The synagogue assistant gave him the scroll from the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the synagogue assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the synagogue was fixed on him.

Luke 4:16-20

Think

The scene is a little awkward – all eyes on Jesus after he has read this prophesy in regard to himself. Murmurs of “who does he think he is?” And yet, let’s ask: are we bold enough to proclaim even to ourselves that the Spirit of the Lord is on us, so that we too may be sent out to preach good news to the poor and to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is here? People may say, who do they think they are?! They’re too young/idealistic/uneducated/you-name-it to make any sort of difference in the world.

But the whisperers forget – it is the Spirit of the Lord who enables us to be messengers of the Good News and to participate in the healing of communities, people, relationships, and maybe even creation.

Katie Lloyd

Pray

Holy Spirit, anoint me with your power that I may follow in the footsteps of Jesus and step out in faithfulness to tell others about the Kingdom of God. Help me to be a bearer of Good News, no matter the looks or murmurs that come my way. Amen.

Go

Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

from “The Summons” by John L. Bell & Graham Maule