In Search of the City Limits

If a rich uncle said, “Name the place you would most like to be, I will take you there.” Our eyes would pop open in disbelief and our thoughts would race to such exotic places like the warm beaches of Hawaii, the majestic Victoria Falls, the fantasy of Disney World,  . . . . 

Jesus, standing in His heavenly palace was given the same offer. He chose to come to Earth. While here, He refused man’s palaces and turned His attention to the forgotten, the outcasts, the rejects of society, the devalued, the mistreated, and the disenfranchised. Among these were the blind, the lame, lepers, demoniacs, prostitutes, and the hungry. These forgotten, unloved, and unattended, were outside the circle of acceptance, and often found outside the city limits. They were not accepted in social circles and certainly never would be on the guest list for a social dinner.  But there He was— with them!

He calls us to take up our cross of self-denial and follow Him, outside of the preferred paths  and into the lives of the unhappy, the rejected, the downcast, and the sick. He assures us that great things await us if we would not shy away.  

“. . .‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’”  Matthew 25: 34-36. 

The great news is that He has promised to be there too because the love of His life, are there! He underscores this by saying, “ . . .‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’” Matthew 25:40.

Jesus stands at the city limits and He beckons to us with a smile on His face and asks us to follow Him, “Come on down and let’s do some good together.”

Lord, help me to accept your invitation, strap on my walking shoes, a pair of jeans, and seek out those place of loneliness, rejection, pain, doubt, and hunger; knowing that that is where You are leading, and all is well because You are there. 

Today’s Goal: To intentionally seek for someone in need and join Jesus in serving him or her.