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(Amos 7:12-15;\xa0\xa0 Ps.85:8-14;\xa0\xa0 Eph.1:3-14;\xa0\xa0 Mk.6:7-13)\xa0 \u201cJustice shall walk before Him, and prepare the way of His steps.\u201d And so when the disciples are sent out, the Lord \u201cinstruct[s] them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick.\u201d\xa0 The walking stick signifies that the carrier is on an itinerant mission, and the walking stick serves to support the traveler along his way.\xa0 The walking stick is the cross of Christ, which does both these things and brings all the grace and guidance we need on our journey through life.\xa0 The walking stick is prepared in justice, the justice of the blood of Christ, and so it brings all who take it up to the kingdom of God. The Father \u201chas blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,\u201d and so, what more do we need than His cross, since in it \u201cwe have redemption by His blood\u201d?\xa0 And now we are \u201csealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God\u2019s possession,\u201d and thereby ready to walk the path He sets before us this day.\xa0 The cross of contradiction going before us, we join the apostles who \u201cwent off and preached repentance.\u201d\xa0 Amos, too, heeded this call to chastise the people for their sins.\xa0 And for this he, too, suffered the cross, being commanded by the power of the world: \u201cOff with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!\u201d\xa0 But still he continues to preach repentance, still he is faithful to the Lord\u2019s instruction to \u201cprophesy to [His] people Israel.\u201d\xa0 And so must all His apostles be. We need not fear the persecution upon us for \u201cnear indeed is [the Lord\u2019s] salvation to those who fear Him.\u201d\xa0 To those who are faithful to His call, \u201cthe Lord Himself will give all His benefits.\u201d\xa0 We have all we need \u201cin accord with the riches of His grace that He lavished upon us,\u201d and we must only be \u201choly and without blemish before Him\u201d \u2013 as is His desire \u2013 to find every blessing we require.\xa0 And He will give us \u201cauthority over unclean spirits\u201d; He will enable us to cast all evil from His sight.\xa0 And so \u201cto the praise of His glory\u201d there will be \u201cglory dwelling in our land.\u201d\xa0 His justice walks now before us; let us go in the way of His steps.\xa0 His cross is all we need for the journey. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Give Me Strength" from Loving Spirit, third album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, we have every spiritual blessing in the heavens \u2013 what more do we need than the Cross of Christ? YHWH, you send forth your apostles and prophets to preach repentance, to proclaim salvation to those who turn to your Christ and wash themselves in the blood of His Cross.\xa0 This is all we need to find your peace; this is all we need to make our way through this world.\xa0 In the Cross let us take our refuge, and your Spirit will be with us. O let us be healed, dear LORD! that we might praise your holy NAME for the redemption upon us.\xa0 Let us not turn away from those you send in Jesus\u2019 Name, but seek rather to walk in His steps with them.\xa0 You look down from Heaven and send us your Son to be born amongst us and bring glory to this land\u2026 \xa0Let His kindness and truth meet in us that we too might know your benefits and be your treasured possession forever. What need we but the power of truth speaking in your Son \u2013 O LORD, drive out the demons from among us.