«And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him» (Mark 3:13).
I propose that today you read this in nature. I do not know if you have a park nearby or just a little grass in the yard of your house, but I invite you to change the environment.
«As men should lift up their eyes to the hills of God, and behold the wonderful works of His hands, they could learn precious lessons of divine truth. Christ’s teaching would be repeated to them in the things of nature. So it is with all who go into the fields with Christ in their hearts. They will feel themselves surrounded with a holy influence. The things of nature take up the parables of our Lord, and repeat His counsels. By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest (The Desire of Ages, ch. 30, p. 291).
That day, Jesus took His disciples to nature, to His favorite place, so that what He taught them would be forever related to the beauty of His creation.
He wants to do the same with you today.
Just as He called and commanded His twelve disciples, He has chosen you for a special mission: to collaborate with God in the salvation of the world. Just as He knew the weaknesses and strengths of these disciples, He knows yours.
Do you have John’s receptive spirit? Peter’s impetuousness and generosity? Philip’s unbelief? Thomas’s fear and timidity? Nathanael’s childlike trust? Judas ‘s ambitions?
«God takes men as they are, with the human elements in their character, and trains them for His service, if they will be disciplined and learn of Him. They are not chosen because they are perfect, but notwithstanding their imperfections, that through the knowledge and practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may become transformed into His image» (ibid, p. 294).
The disciples had gathered together, each one with his own characteristics, to be part of God’s family. They would learn from each other, in the midst of tests and differences of opinion. However, as long as Jesus was in their hearts, as long as He was the center, they would get closer to each other as they got closer to the center. That is what God’s love would generate. That is what it can generate today.