Day 8: Luke 9:1-27– Read Scriptures
This is a packed chapter. I get goose bumps when I let it all soak
in. First of all, can you imagine, Jesus
in the flesh, commissioning you? When we
choose Jesus, we too become His disciples.
We too gain the ability to go out into the villages and share the good
news and watch of His miraculous workings.
That in itself is beyond exciting.
But I can’t get my mind to wrap around Jesus standing in flesh giving me
that authority and direction. And then to return to Him; to share with Him of
the journey and experiences, knowing He already knows but wants time with me to
tell of the experiences. We do this in
prayer every time we seek Him and talk to Him.
But to see Him… to tangibly be able to look in to His eyes and see of
His love and approval. It’s just too much!
And of course, I love the story of the loaves and bread. And I lived it. I have seen God do that for me and my family. When my son feel terminally ill in an
instant, we went from a 2 income family to a 1 income family overnight, paired
with astronomical financial stresses to try to care for our sweet boy. It never, ever added up on paper how we were
able to pay the regular bills, come up with unexpected travel money, and etc.
etc. etc. For 18 months, through God’s
power and His people, our loaves and fish kept multiplying. It was remarkable and miraculous. I always smile when I read that story. The power of truth is so deep for us. But then, the closing verses just take my
breath away. I close my eyes and I
imagine myself sitting there with my Savior, hearing Him speak of his ultimate
sacrifice still to come, while He reminds me of the choice each of us will
make. It is hard for me to fathom any of
them being able, after looking deep into the eyes of our perfect Redeemer, to
reject or deny Him ever again. It’s hard
that is, until I look into the mirror and realize how many times I have, in my
own way, been guilty more than once of the very thing I can’t imagine from
them. I have not seen the face of my
savior, but I have felt His grace in a way that I will never be able to
write. And yet, how many times have I
sought my own plans over His, thought of my own way instead of His, and laid
down that blood stained cross for the world’s lackluster replacement? Oh how grateful I am for grace. He tasted death for me that I and any, who choose
to believe and trust in Him, may experience the Kingdom of God. Hallelujah.
For the disciples that failed and for me, who fails. He spoke it then, He speaks it now. Take up our cross and follow Him and we WILL
be given the Kingdom of heaven, but only, only if we heed the warning. Lord, please help me live as you call. I can’t do it alone.
Day 9: 28-62 – Read Scriptures
The theme of these scriptures for me is WAKE
UP! It seems so clear to us when we read
of all that Jesus was doing and how He was even foreshadowing His horrific
death on the cross for the second time that they need to wake up. How could they continue to miss the
point? How could they, at such a
serious, pivotal time in the life of God in flesh, worry about who was numero
uno? How, how how…. Oh… wait…. There is
the mirror again. The one that reflects
my own heart. How many ways has Jesus
shown me His glory? How many times has
Jesus demonstrated His power and love to me and those around me? How many times have I read and known and
believe fully in the truth of the cross and the cost He paid? Yet, how many times has my focus turned to
the moments or situations rather than what Christ has made clearly known to
me? How many times have I missed the
point? How many times have I made Jesus
shake His head at my lack of faith? And
yet how many times have I elevated myself to a place of superiority over others
in my faith walk. How about you? But then, I look at my youngest
daughter. She was just baptized on
Christmas break. Her faith is full and
first. She trusts first and seeks
answers later. It’s her nature. It’s how Christ showed us in these scriptures
we are to be. Why then, do we make it so
complicated? Oh Lord, let me yes be
instant every single time you ask me to follow You in any direction. May I go trusting like a child. You are
worthy. Help me to dig deep into you and
remember that beyond any situation.
Day 10: Luke 10:1-20 – Read Scriptures
This chapter gets me excited! When Jesus sent the 70 out, His instructions
were so black and white… and so freeing.
He told them exactly what to do and how to do it and He sent them
together so that the one could help the other.
He told them to go into the homes, offer His peace, pray for their souls
in earnest, and receive their generosity in return with freedom of full
enjoyment, realizing it was a small response to the gift of peace they have
brought. He was clear that they must go
in prayer, not be bogged down by possessions, and expect difficulties. Heal,
drive out demons, and proclaim the good news in His name. And then enjoy, understanding that those that
receive their kindness are really receiving Him and that is worth celebrating
and enjoying. They returned to Him after
what was a difficult journey, where they faced rejection and probably physical
exhaustion at times, but proclaimed joy.
They got it! They experienced in
full what it means to walk with Him and do His work and their joy was deep in
spite of any circumstance. I want to
live like this! I want to truly, truly,
truly live like this. It’s so hard in
our “microwave, please me now” day and age.
And it’s hard when the journey is hard.
But man, when we keep proclaiming, praying, and trusting, we experience
that same joy they did. And it is
good. It is always, always good.
Day 11: Luke
10:21-42 – Read Scriptures
These scriptures make it so simple. He comes to those willing to receive Him like
a child. Eternal life is found in those
that show mercy to others as He has shown to us. And stop being so preoccupied with the world’s
distractions that we forget to enjoy the One who gave us the world. Why, when it really is that simple, do we
continually make it so hard? Just this
past week, I had so much on my mind. Big
things taking place in our family. Good
things, but some of them difficult to say the least. I found myself wound up and emotional and
even on edge. I forgot to be like a
child, give of myself fully to others not thinking of my own needs, and focused
more on the distractions than Him. Sometimes I am really good at being
Mary. God is so near to me sometimes that
I am just overwhelmed with Him. But many
days, I get to doing what I think I have to do, and I just flat fail to enjoy
Him. I take for granted He is there, but
somehow, I start trying to direct the day. But oh, the peace that flows like a
river when I do it the simple way. I
love that I serve a powerful God that can move mountains… and make them for
that matter… but simplifies the way to peace so that when we are willing, the
sweet taste of heaven touches us right here on earth.
Day 12: Luke
11:1-28 – Read Scriptures
These verses give me great hope for those I pray for
that doesn’t know my Savior. Jesus
teaches us how to pray, but even more, He commands us to be bold in asking in
prayer. I love that these scriptures
remind us that God is ready to bestow His blessings on us, but He waits for us
to ask boldly. And then, when we pray
boldly for a lost soul, Christ will drive out the devil from that dwelling
place. We can’t force it or make it
happen, but in fervent prayer, in His power and for His glory, Christ
transforms the heart just as He drove out demons. It’s not how much we know or
even preach; it’s not how much we try to force someone to something; rather it
is about the heart. Without Christ, we
are comfortable in our sin and our self-righteous nature is strong. But when we fall in prayer, seeking and
asking God always in all things, we are transformed and our prayers are used in
the transformation of others. The
evidence of who has dwelling place rights in our heart is proven in our desire
to live His way and we will then begin to see the transformation in others
because we will have the eyes of Christ and no longer will we see things from
any form of self-righteousness. “Open
they Eyes of our Heart Lord!”
Day 13: Luke
11:29-54 – Read Scriptures
We are so like this.
I find myself saying, “Lord, how about an email? Can you just make it that clear? I want a neon sign!” These verses sting, because I have been given
the greatest neon sign of all, the Holy, LIVING Word of God! I can read of
every detail of the miracles and signs He has left for us and I can see His
miracles every day around me when I look yet, how much I take for granted and
act just like these He is calling a wicked generation. God has given me the sign, His light has come
into me, and the more I dig into His word, spend time in His word, and dwell
with His son, the more He will show in me so that others will be drawn out of
the darkness. Why would I need more than
that? And yet so often I do. And then religion… religious people…. I could
get on a soap box here, but then, that in and of itself would be hypocrisy because
I am just as guilty as the next from time to time. The key is daily remember humbly, the
greatest gift of all, and allow our hearts to be open so that He truly can fill
every ounce of our being more and more each day.
Day 14: Luke
12:1-31 – Read Scriptures
God knows us.
Every single one of us. Not one
of us, whether we remember Him or not, is forgotten or missed by Him. He knows every hair on our head, our every
need, and our comings and goings. He
knows what we do in the open and what we keep hidden. He knows who comes against us and when
trouble will strike. And He knows what
to do about it. The worst thing that can
happen is death and He has defeated death.
It all goes back to faith. We are
here for His glory. We are here for His
purpose. Just as those beautiful
wildflowers by the thousands, planted in that field, without a care in the
world, just here doing what they were created to do, so should we. Does that mean be careless? Absolutely not. It just means, that we are to do what it is
we are called to do and not spend our time fretting about the what if’s because
He is already at work in that. It isn’t
easy. I find in my life, many
circumstances really are challenging to truly release. But the more I pray and the more I focus on
His power, the more I am able to take it one moment at a time. I yearn for the day my faith is strong enough
to be like the lilies of the fields.
Until then, I am just going to keep going back to the truth in these
verses… my mantra… GOD HAS THIS
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