Today was a day of travel – in fact, I just walked in the door at home. As I have stated several times recently, my schedule for going out of town has become far more manageable and it is rare these days that I have to fly to a client site. I think I may get a little bored if I don’t have to travel at all, but there is no denying that my work schedule is more Indiana based than anywhere else at this time. Several years ago, I could have worked from any reasonable location in the States as long as I had access to a relatively major airport. Today, that isn’t true – I have enough clients in this area that I am now committed here for the foreseeable future – even though I confess that I would love to have a place in southern Florida.
So every so often I like to get on a jet and spend a day on the road. Otherwise, things can get kind of boring after months without a change of scenery. Today’s destination was Dallas. And I’m closing in on almost 90 trips there in the last 7 years. It’s difficult to believe that I have never so much as rented a car or driven in that city. But nonetheless, it is great to get to have a change of scenery and meet with my Dallas client in person every several months – it has been most rewarding to see them grow so much during the last 8 years or so.
What’s really tough to appreciate, however, is how connected we all are these days. It’s just something that we all take for granted. To travel to Dallas and back in one day – even with tornadoes in the area, is most remarkable. Back in the time of Jesus, people would take days and weeks to get to the Passover festival in Jerusalem and then try to stay in the area to celebrate the Festival of Weeks that occurred 50 days later – a day better known as Pentecost. As most of you know, it was during Pentecost that the Holy Spirit visited a small group of 120 people and the Acts 2 church was started that day, with Peter preaching the first sermon.
It wasn’t too long after that when the church really started to grow and soon, there were more than 5000 members in that new church – I guess it was the first mega-church. And the mandate of Jesus was to go to the ends of the earth and spread the good news. We are told, in Acts 13:47, “For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’’” Yep – that’s our mandate – to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.
My encouragement this evening is that you can have an impact for the kingdom no matter where you are. Even if you don’t travel, there are plenty of opportunities to support those who do, or to make a difference in your own community. My prayer is that you will consider ways to support those people who have dedicated their lives going to the ends of the earth to make a difference. They can use your prayers and financial support. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…