Wow our first Sunday back was brilliant!! What an extraordinary time. To me it feels like someone has hint the “reset’ button on our church and lives. We were forced to pause for a while. Made to stop and reflect.

Things may be different but God and His mission does not change. He is still at work to forgive, heal, reconcile, redeem and save. And we have experienced God’s work to heal and save in Aotearoa as we have seen Covid-19 eliminated. 

In this weeks Gospel reading (Matthew 9:35-10:8) we are given a picture of this work. We are told about the way Jesus is travelling all over engaged in this mission. He then does something strange, he sends out his disciples to do the same. This group of uneducated tradesmen. Some have questionable histories and one will even betray Jesus! There is no exam first, and he does not go with them to make sure they are doing things the “right way”. He just sends them out as they are. He tells them they have authority. He trusts them with the mission of God.

We are no different. We too are sent out with the same authority and power, not by a God breathing down our necks to micro manage us, but by a God who trusts us with His mission! Let us use this time to reset our lives on this purpose.