Small Town and Everyone Knows

Living in a small town in New Mexico called Eunice, can mean several things. It means that there was only one traffic light and it was in the center of the town. That way, you could go to the grocery store and the post office and get across the street safely. If you were to try and beat the light, by the time your car reached the end of the block, everyone in town knew it.

It also meant that if you did something wrong, your parents knew it long before you got home and had time to share your side of the story. It seemed a lot slower in spreading the news when you did something right.

In Israel, there is a small town called Bethsaida, which means – “house of fishermen.” From this town Jesus called Peter and Andrew from their nets. Just a bit later he called James and John. In that little town the reputation of Jesus had just begun to spread, and when he called these four men to follow Him, everyone knew them, their families, and their way of life. Yet when they followed Jesus, these four men were changed and their witness from this small town would change the world forever.

In just two weeks, we will be walking the site of Bethsaida. I was sitting here thinking, “wouldn’t it be wonderful if while we were there, we would hear God call our names and say, ‘follow me…’”

Mid-week Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, call to us today and bring us from our small towns (no matter if it is just in our way of thinking) to realize that you are sending us to a new life. Let us walk in the light of Your Word and feel the wind on the Sea of Galilee and look at the hills there and realize that Your Spirit is here. Grace us wherever we are, with the abundance of Your love. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen


This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Where will you be in two weeks? Are you as excited about the possibility of those days as you are about God’s promise to be there as well? See you next week.