18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 28:18–20.
According to the book “Good Morning, Lord”, worry can be seen as a mild form of atheism. We act as if God doesn’t exist in certain circumstances. That sounds a little harsh but as I reflect on it, the conclusion isn’t crazy.
This passage isn’t directly calling out to us to forsake anxiety and worry like other scriptures do but the underlying message is clear. All authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth. Is there some other place where he does not have authority? The answer is no. But what does that mean?
Jesus has authority and power over the universe. There isn’t one thing that he isn’t aware of. He surely watches over those which he has given purpose and that purpose is glorifying God. Jesus commands us to move forward. Sometimes we feel like loners on a mission but that’s only because we are focused on ourselves and our inadequacy. He told the disciples just prior to His ascension: ” and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ” We have been included in this multiplication of disciples so we should remember that this promise applies to us as well. We must anchor ourselves to Jesus and know that He is with us always.