Brother Colm O’Connell, an Irish priest, went to Kenya in 1976 to volunteer for one year as a teacher at St. Patrick’s school. Thirty-six years later, he’s still there, and has established an internationally acclaimed running program. The school has provided 5 Olympic champions and 25 world champions, most recently David Rudisha in the 800 meters at the London Olympics. Each St. Patrick’s runner enters the field knowing they have been sent like the ones before them.

After the resurrection, Jesus told His disciples that He was sending them into the world in the same way that the Father had sent Him into the world (John 20:21). But how was Jesus sent into the world? Mark 10 recounts Jesus telling His disciples that He was sent “not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). God came . . . to give. To give Himself entirely and at great cost.

Let this end any questions about the extent of God’s love. When you wonder if God has abandoned you, look to the cross where Jesus hung as hell sought to devour Him. When you wonder if God rejects us, look to the cross where Jesus endured rejection and prayed with a suffering heart while gasping for air: “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). If you wonder if God has any desire to gather up your grief, your death, and make something beautiful of it, look to the resurrection where Jesus triumphed over death in order to flood you with life.

And let this also tell us plainly how we, as Jesus’ followers, are to live in our world. We’re to give ourselves, entirely, in the name of the One who has already given everything. We are sent—just as Jesus was sent.

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Matthew 28:8-15