Where Is Your Faith?

What an adventure we get to have with the Prince of Peace today! In verse 22 of Luke 8:16-25, Jesus simply says,"let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they set out. Well, they are sailing along just fine and He falls asleep. And wouldn't you know that this is when a fierce windstorm descends on the lake, the boat starts filling with water, and they "were in danger". What do you do? 

They crawl over to this sound sleeper and cry out, " Master, Master, we're going to die!" So He gets up, rebukes the raging wind and waves, they cease, and all is calm. Actually, all except for the seasoned sailors in shock. And what do they hear next but, "Where is your faith?" 

I'm wondering if Jesus is not so much giving them a rebuke about having such little faith, as stirring them to think about in what they are placing their faith. Is it in their years of experience sailing, knowledge of that lake, and how to do that job or is it in Him and Who He is? 

When we are sailing along with Jesus, it is important to remember who we are trusting.

Bearing Fruit With Perseverance

It tickles me that God is revealing secrets to us, as it says in verse 10 of our passage today (Luke 8:1-15). One of them that I noticed was that the value of the crop that Jesus is describing comes as the fruit matures (verse 14). The next verse describes the good fruit bearers as holding it fast and bearing with perseverance. I think God knows we need continual reminders that just getting a good crop going is not our goal. It is hanging in there for the long haul. It is mentoring and blessing not only our own children, but their children and their children and the heritage after them. It is encouraging and blessing spiritual children and grandchildren and the heritage after them. It is knowing that our trusting God and persevering in difficult times (even if no one seems to be watching) will have long term - even eternal effects. 

Father give us grace to persevere.  

Rather Uncomfortable With The Emotion

Are you able to sit at dinner with the Lord today and experience the depth of Luke 7:36-50? What a happening! This ill-reputed woman is courageous or desperate enough to brave the Pharisaical condemnation, walk in to the dinner, and kneel down at the Savior's feet. Then it starts to get messy. You have to remember there are no tissues or napkins as she is crying on, kissing, and pouring oil on His feet. She is using her hair. I'm afraid I am too reserved not to get rather uncomfortable at this emotional outburst. I bet the men around were also. But not Jesus. What He sees is love. Much love. And He actually says, "Her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little". Whoa - so that is the key. I really don't know what a sinner I am. 

Lord, I really do want to love You with much love. In this month when we focus so much on love, I am desperate enough to ask You to reveal the sin that is in the way so that I can be forgiven and love you with my whole heart. Thank You for first loving beyond anything imaginable.

Gallons

Wow, what a life-giving sermon we have in our reading today (Luke 6:27-45). One subject that Jesus mentions twice is giving. Not usually our favorite sermon, right? But look at verse 38. In whatever measure we use to give (teaspoons or gallons), it will be given back to us, "pressed down, shaken together, and running over". Now that is a good return. 

Giving makes me think of being a mother. We first give our body to all sorts of changes. We give birth, milk, sleepless nights, energy for cleaning (vomit?), cooking, washing, time for reading books and carpools and soccer games and homework. Then to top it all off we give that child away to something else as they leave home or someone else in a wedding. So where is the return?

It is so sneaky and so shocking that some Moms miss it. It sneaks in between the diaper changes, in the midst of those many meals together, in the quiet times praying for that child. The greatest gift that a person can get - none other than amazing Love. And it comes in a form that is so powerful and pervasive and enduring and unshakeable that we don't ever forget for the rest of our lives. 

Lord, help us to be gallon givers today so we will know more Your kind of love.

Wouldn't you have loved to have seen it?

Doesn't our Lord's compassion in our passage today (Luke 6:46-7:17) just melt you? Can you see Him as He is coming to the gate of Nain and notices a funeral procession? He finds out that the dead man is a widow's only son. Verse 13 says, " When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said  'Don't cry' ". 

And unlike us, He could step in and remedy the situation. He touched the open coffin and told the man to get up. So he sat up and started talking. Whoa! I bet the pallbearers put that thing down right quick!  But the next sentence says, "And Jesus gave him back to his mother". Oh, the sweetness, the beauty, the compassion, the love. Wouldn't you have loved to have seen it?

Lord, open our eyes to Your compassion and love today.

Escalate Into Leaping

I looks like a sunny day and there is much to be happy about - but "leaping for joy"? I'm wondering if verses 22 and 23 in our reading (Luke 6:6-26) are just some of those that we sort of reserve for those really persecuted in other countries. 

You know the things "they" ought to do. In fact, how many of us feel like we are hated and excluded and insulted because of Jesus? And if we happen to feel put down or cast as foolish because of our "infatuation with Him", are we leaping for joy?

I'm thinking why not! One of the fun things I have been trying to do is to give Him a little applause when I notice a special blessing or present. I'm thinking that could escalate into a little leaping. Anyway....   The main point is to rejoice because great things are coming. We will be held in honor by the One that we honor with crazy love today. 

Dance At The Party

Well, the Pharisees and scribes were upset again in today's reading (Luke 5:27-6:5). Jesus had just had a great time at the reception in his honor with the hated often cheating tax collectors. So the religious were wondering anyway, "The disciples of John  often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink". 

In other words it looks like you guys are always having a party. I'm not sure they understood the explanation that He was the Bridegroom and when the Bridegroom is around you celebrate. However we do! And even though the Jesus is not physically with us, and there may be grievous reasons to fast and pray now, we can still in spirit remember our Bridegroom and dance at the party in which we honor Him.