Should I stay or should I go?

The above is a song title. I was thinking about it a bit more theologically than romantically. There is a tug in the life of a follower of Christ. A tug between staying and going.

Christ asks us to stay and learn from him. To stay and be loved by him. To stay and develop a relationship with him that will carry us through life. To stay enough till he becomes our North Star,

But we are told to “go” as well. Go to others who need a relationship with Christ. Go to those who are broken and unloved and overlooked and bring healing.

Do you stay too long and miss changing a life? Or do you go too often and try doing it on your own without God? Or do you strike a good balance?

Today, is God encouraging you to stay or go?

Jesus said, You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:48-50 (NRSV)

Then Jesus said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” Matthew 26:38 (NRSV)

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. Lamentations 3:25 (NRSV)

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:40-42 (NRSV)

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NRSV)

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1 (NRSV)

For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost. Luke 19:10 (NRSV)

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. Acts 9:10-11 (NRSV)