"Behold, I Send You Forth."
By H.
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves." Matt. 10: 16. THE disciples had been called to follow the Master in His earthly wanderings. By faith they had followed Him, leaving all. From the very first they had seen the wonderful things which He did, the miracles of healing, the stilling of the tempest, the power of His word. Day by day they were learning of His mission; day by day He instructed them concerning His kingdom. And then came the time for a richer experience; He would send them out to preach the Gospel, to heal the sick, to meet the enemy, to do His work in the earth. But first of all He would fortify them against the evils they were to meet; even before the commission was given, "He called unto Him His twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness." And then came the charge: "As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons." It was a mighty undertaking for men whose lives hitherto had been spent in private pursuits, whose training had been so brief; but already they knew much of the power of God; "freely ye received," He told them, "freely give." And thus it was that He sent them forth "as sheep in the midst of wolves." He knew they would meet the enemy in all his strength and sophistry; He knew they would be tried and tempted; He knew their faith would be taxed to its limit, and that, do the best they could, they would find trials that would bear them down. But with it all they might ever look to the Giver of all blessings and knowledge, and receive of Him the thing most needed in the most needy hour. So it has always been with the children of God. Moses in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, Esther in Persia, the disciples of Jesus, Luther, Wesley, Knox, Miller, and scores of others,—all have had to go into the world as sheep amidst wolves. These have been tried and tested. All have had messages to bear. But no more is it true of these striking characters in the history of God's work in the earth than it has been and ever is true of every child of God. But always and ever, back of the commission to go is the authority, the power of God. With such a commission, backed by such authority, why will any soul hesitate to do His bidding? The duty is clear, the commission is definite, the reward is eternal; and the need is just as great, just as pitiful, just as imperative, "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations." And the promise is eternally true, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."