Counting the Cost

It looks like the people in Jesus' time, Luke 14:25 - 15:7, were no different. He seemed to be the newest excitement on the scene and huge crowds were following. But have you ever heard a popular leader ever say ,"Wait a minute. Following me is going to cost you everything."?  Jesus said you will need to give up your family, life, possessions (including money), and pick up a rough heavy cross to be His true follower. Not really a way to win friends and followers. 

But the truth is Jesus wants disciples, not followers. Verse 33 says, "So then none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions." He wants people ready to learn from Him as a disciple, instead of those just going along with the crowd.

Am I ready to give up in my heart whatever might be distracting me from hearing Him? As verse 33 says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear". It is the only way to really live free!

Who's Coming To Dinner

In today's reading (Luke 14:7-24), Jesus is speaking plainly at another dinner party put on by a Pharisee leader. He looks at the host and gives him wonderfully helpful advice on what his guest list should look like. This advice is so against our natural way of doing things that we need to listen too."When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Can we even imagine the difference in getting repaid by a comfortable meal with friends and getting repaid eternally by our loving very very rich Heavenly Father. Now that is something to think about before we make our next guest list! Who are the poor, the handicapped, the needy that we could invite over? Who's coming to dinner?

Into the Heart of Jesus

What an honor we have today to have a chance to peek into the heart of our Lord as we get to the middle of our reading (Luke 13:18-14:6). In verse 34 we read: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!" Do you hear the mother heart in these words? Don't we know the solid comfort of having all the family get safely home before a cold stormy night sets in? Just to have everyone warm and dry and secure seems to make all the difference.

But sadly that doesn't always happen. Hurt and rejection can leave members out wandering in the night. Most all have experienced that scratching anxiety that comes from wondering, "Where are they?". The good news is that Jesus knows how we are feeling. In Luke 19:41-42, Jesus actually weeps over the city with grief.  He intimately knows the rejection we feel when our love and desire to help is spurned. This understanding gives us an open door to come to Him with our hurt and pour it out in prayer. His hug and comfort is our true security in stormy times.

Thank you Lord for revealing your heart to us.

Settling out of Court

The reading today, Luke 12:57-!3:17, starts with such important good news if we will heed the warning.  It seems like our Lord is reminding us to try hard to settle any fights we are having with others early (readily ask for or give forgiveness) before we can be judged as obstinate and suffer the consequences of resentment and bitterness prison. This prison comes with much torment (Matthew 18:34), and we will not get out of there until we have paid the last cent of our debt. Really we can not get out of there at all without God's grace. So let's all take the forgiveness route today and enjoy the freedom of our Lord.

Who is the servant?

Our reading today, Luke 12:35-56, is all about being a faithful and wise servant. That is so great because I see women thriving as they serve others. The part I like is the sense of anticipation in verses 35-36 of the master's arrival. It is like an excitement to be properly prepared in every way for his knock. Of course, this is how we are to anticipate Jesus' presence in our lives.

The surprising thing is that the master turns the tables, puts on his apron, and has the servants sit down to eat. He then waits on these "blessed" faithful ones. I keep finding that to be the surprising thing about God. I get to thinking I am doing so much, and come to find out that it was really Him all the time that was working. It was absolutely all His doing. You got to love that kind of Master.

Everybody else does it!

My, the reading today (Luke 12:22-34) sinks way down in my need and maybe yours. It is wonderful how our Lord does not beat around the bush. Take in verse 29; "And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. "

So what is the remedy for our fear laden "will we have enough" thinking? After all everybody else is doing it ("all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek"). And what does "seeking His kingdom" mean anyway?

Well, part of the search just turns us inside out. It is not how hard we can work to accumulate and earn this kingdom. (He has already chosen to gladly give it to us.) We see that verse 34 is the jewel, the tip off to true treasure. It tell us that as we give (even if nobody appreciates it), we accumulate the real security, because generosity frees our heart to go back to its Source, it's true desire in heaven. Generosity is a Christian's free ticket into the kingdom of heavenly living. We can afford to be very generous, because we are abandoned to the Source and Provider of very need. 

                     

When He says our name!

It is another fascinating and rich reading today (Luke 12:4-21). I've especially been thinking about verse eight. What will it be like to have our wonderful Lord Jesus acknowledge us before the angels of God? Talk about getting a thrill! Seems like it would be good enough just to see Him and to see His smile of greeting, but then have Him go on and talk about His love for us and appreciation for our relationship.....  Oh My!

It looks like we can take this as a promise as we are obedient to acknowledging Him before people.  "I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God."

Lord, show us how to acknowledge You before others. We know it has to be more than just words. Make our lives a testimony of Your grace and love.