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I love walking with my daughters around the mall. Usually, the best times for this are before 10am, when only the mall walkers and coffee sipping elderly are hangin’ out. But on my days off, sometimes we end up making the rounds a bit later in the mornings.

We have a list of things we enjoy doing together, that can be added to by whatever happens to be in the mall on that particular occasion. Case in point – a photo opportunity with a decorative shopping bag large enough to fit all 3 girls inside. 🙂

We’ll head to Bergner’s and ride the elevator up, taking turns pushing the button and watching out the giant glass window as we rise above the jewelry section. Then, just to develop a bit of discipline, we walk around the 2nd floor once, perusing the toddler clothes, and princess toys just long enough to say “I like this.” (this mornings’ quote – “Daddy, I want everything we don’t have.”), and end up back by the elevator, and ground level welcomes us back.

We stop in to see if Papa’s workin (manager of his store), and then we head to see the puppies (puppy/kitty adoption store). After that, we can stop by the book store, grab a couple hard paged classics, and sit on the floor or kids table to read ’em. If they’ve been good, we head over to Subway for a fresh cookie, possibly even playing in the toddler play area. Although 3 times out of 5, we can play several hours at the mall, dancing to the music in the lesser populated areas, etc….without using the play area. 🙂 Always an achievement.

My girls have energy. They have creativity. They desire everything. They breathe potential, hope, and what might happen. Possibilities are endless, and there are no boundaries.

I am their father. Called not to snuff the flame, but to enjoy it’s dancing flickers, and come alongside God to focus it’s heat, light, and energy. There are times of discipline, boundaries, and tears of obedience too…but I love this. Thanks Jesus.

All throughout scripture, we see and hear the words of Jesus to His disciples, “follow me”. And follow Him they do. But in other parts of the New Testament, Jesus goes a step further and uses the word “Go”.

Luke 10:3 says, “Go on your way. See, I am sending you like lambs into the midst of wolves.”

This was Jesus, sending the 72 into every town and place he intended to go. He asks them to do a few very specific things:

1. Enter the town. – Along with the word “GO”, God desires to use us outside of where we naturally are. Each of us is created uniquely, and God can use each of us in ways like no other. It’s not always a mysterious location somewhere “out there” in the world that we need to stress and sweat about finding. Start where you are…see where that takes you.

2. Eat what is set before you. – Goes with the words of verse 4, about not bringing supplies and worrying about how you’ll survive. It’s not about you and I, or about us “getting ours”, in return for the good news we bring.

3. Bring healing to the sick. This physical world matters. Bring comfort to the uncomfortable (and not just nicer couches). Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, bandage wounds, and care for the well-being of humanity.

4. Announce the Kingdom of God. The heart of what Jesus calls his disciples to here. Even in places where they are not welcomed, he still tells them to announce the Kingdom of God.

And in each of these things, we are sent as “sheep among wolves”. How often do we lose sight of that? How often, as a church, do we focus more on words like “boldness, courage, strength, might, conquering, etc.”?

Not saying each of these words are inherently bad. But I don’t think those are the themes we need to be reminded of these days.

And not only challenging the “church”, but challenging also those who challenge the church. Movements like home churches, “emergent” church types, etc. We can have a pretty sharp tongue sometimes. We can gather in groups, waiting for the wrong move or word to be spoken, and move in on our prey.

May we GO into our world this week, as Lambs. Not lambs who expect to be surrounded by lambs either; but as lambs who expect to be surrounded by wolves….and yet move forward anyway. In sacrificial love for the other…