Following the One who goes before you!

I believe these words of the angel were to encourage the disciples and also to show them a principle of how the kingdom is established. ‘He is going before you’.

When you go into unknown, difficult terrain, you need strength and, if you are in the forefront of the expedition, the ability to open up the way . As you establish and prepare the way the rest of your team can follow, as long as they stay on the route. In a similar way God said to Moses ‘For My Angel will go before you and bring you in’ (Exodus 23:23, NKJ).

So when Jesus spoke these words ‘I will go before you’ I believe that He may have had three things in mind. Firstly He wanted to encourage them that He is the faithful one - He does what He has said He will do. Secondly I believe that He wanted to meet with them to establish and empower them as His disciples. Lastly I believe He wanted to say to them; ‘I go before you. I have prepared the way. All authority and power belongs to me. I walk before you as you go’.

At times in our walk with Jesus we may feel alone, discouraged and powerless and we may sense the task we’ve been given is too great and difficult. Today Jesus wants to remind us that He has gone ahead of us to establish a way even within the challenges we are facing now. He asks us to keep our eyes on Him as He walks before us, and He asks us to follow in His powerful footsteps, in humility and obedience.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that You have gone before me. Thank You that You have prepared the way through the victory on the cross. Today I choose to walk in humility and obedience in the way You have prepared for me. Amen.

Correction and Apologies:
The Scripture reference for the Seeds of the Kingdom devotional for Sunday 26th October on The Importance of Wholeheartedness should have been 2 Chronicles 25:2, not Jeremiah 25:2. Thank you to all those who pointed out the mistake.