Month: July 2022

Luke 14:7-8 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.

I have learned over my years in the classroom that we all want to feel seen, recognized. There is power in the validation of acknowledgment. Sometimes a large part of my job is just giving students space and permission to breathe and be as they figure out the way forward.

Luke 14:9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.

I’ve found that as human beings, adults want that, too. They want people to see, to recognize, to acknowledge their efforts. Just a simple: “You are doing great. Keep it up.” can go a long way toward renewal and restoration.

Luke 14:10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.

Lord, You want me to root my identity solely in You. Help me know how to handle the part of myself that seeks earthly recognition and acknowledgement. My identity, my sense of self cannot be tied to this world. At the same time, help me to encourage and hold space for Your beloved children who cross my path. Help me encourage them in You, for You, through You. Amen.

Luke 14:11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 13:6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.

This parable seems the epitome of grace. For three years this fig tree has failed to produce fruit. The owner was ready to cut it down. What’s the use of a fig tree if it doesn’t produce figs? The manager of the vineyard encouraged one more year of patience with the tree. He even proposed giving it extra care and fertilizer to help it produce.

Luke 13:7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

So what can I learn from this parable? Patience and grace. The owner gave it three years before discussing tearing it out. Care and grace. The manager wanted to give it extra time and care in this last attempt. Fruit and grace. A fig tree that does not produce figs is not very useful. The fruit is the entire point of the tree. As a Christian, my point, my fruit, is giving glory and honor to God for His grace to me.

Luke 13:8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.

Lord, Thank You for the parable of the fig tree this morning. Thank You for the reminders—for myself and others—of patience, care, grace, and fruit. Help me to bring You praise and glory always. Amen.

Luke 13:9 ‘If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:1 …Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

God is still working on my heart in the areas of pride and humility. He is daily reminding me that He is in control and that He understands my heart, my deep-seated fears and doubts.

Luke 12:2 “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.

And I am learning that these early verses in Luke 12 are inextricably tied to Luke 12:22 for me: Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life….” God knows what I’m fretting about in the quiet of my heart. He knows my insecurities. He wants me to lay it all at His feet so that instead of being ripped apart by doubts, I can be bathed in the peace that can only come from Him.

Luke 12:3a “What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight….

Precious Savior, Thank You for the words You whisper to my heart, for the reminder that You understand every doubt and fear and that You are the Lord of my life and because of that, I do not need to be afraid of missing out or being passed over or anything else because You see me, You know me, You understand my heart, and I am Your deeply, fiercely loved child. Help me to lay my pride, my fears, and my bitterness at Your feet. Blanket me in Your peace. Amen.

Luke 12:3b “…and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 11:8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

I was raised to not ask questions about faith, church, and God. But as I’ve grown into my faith, I have come to believe that God is big enough, gracious enough, loving enough to handle my questions. I think He appreciates my seeking, asking, knocking in order to understand, to draw closer, to be ok even when I don’t understand.

Luke 11:9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

The idea of audacious faith, of audacious prayer, is intriguing to me. Luke 11:8 brings this idea to mind. So what might it look like to be audacious with God, for God? From the text, it seems to indicate boldness no matter the hour or request, tenacity in my seeking and asking, focus on the recipient instead of myself. This idea definitely merits further thought.

Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Precious Savior, Thank You for this idea of audacious faith. Help me to approach You boldly as I seek to know You more. Help me to approach others in Your name, sharing Your goodness boldly as well. Draw me closer. Amen.

Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Have a blessed day. I love you.

Luke 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

Today I am reading the story of Mary and Martha in light of Luke 10:16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Martha opened her home to Jesus. She was quite busy trying to make sure everything was just so for her honored guest. Yet Mary was the one actually sitting with and listening to Jesus. Martha was flitting around and grouching about her sister.

Luke 10:39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.

But do Martha’s actions constitute rejection? Martha would say no. But Jesus says, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” The one thing that is needed, the one thing Martha is not doing, is sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him.

Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Lord, I am guilty of rejecting You in order to do things that I consider important. Just like Martha, I rationalize my actions, but just like Martha, I am missing out on the one thing that is needed: time with You. Forgive me. Thank You for opening the eyes of my heart. Draw me closer. Amen.

Luke 10:41-42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 9:1-2 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

My precious Savior is calling my attention yet again to an area where I need to give myself fully over to Him in faith and trust. I’m a planner. I want to be the one who unexpectedly provides what someone else needs, not the one in need.

Luke 9:3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.

Jesus says clearly here to take nothing for the journey. Nothing. And trust Him to provide. Commentary says, “It is easier to have faith when we think we know how God might provide, but God often provides in unexpected and undiscoverable ways.”

Luke 9:4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.

Lord, I didn’t realize how much I still rely on myself. The thought of holding nothing in reserve and trusting You for all is terrifying, and it saddens me to admit that. Forgive me. I also struggle with the desire to trust You but also put in the work and with the desire to be a blessing to others and not a burden. Help me to trust You—first, foremost, always. Help me to pack, not out of a fear that You won’t provide but so that You can bless others through my provisions. Help me learn how to walk this line of faith well. Amen.

Luke 9:5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out.

The story of Jesus calming the storm is one of my favorites. I understand it on a gut level, probably because I am so like the disciples at times, fearful to the point of panic, while Jesus is placidly napping in the boat because all is well despite appearances.

Luke 8:23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

In verse 50, Jesus tells Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe….” There is much wisdom there. Faith and fear cannot coexist. I’ve been working on overcoming this tendency for a long time. At this point, I can at least acknowledge, “I do believe. Help my unbelief.”

Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.

Precious Savior, I do believe. Yet I still struggle with fear and doubt, anxiety and anger. Help me to lay these emotions at your feet so that I can partner with You in faith. Thank You that Your strength is perfected in my weakness. Amen.

Luke 8:25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:2-3 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.

The centurion, a Roman, believed in Jesus’s healing power and wanted that healing for his servant, whom he valued. However, he didn’t feel worthy to even ask for Jesus’s help. He also didn’t feel worthy to have Jesus under his roof. But he valued his servant so much and believed in Jesus’s healing power so much that he said, essentially, “Only say the word and my servant shall be healed.”

Luke 7:4-5 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”

There is much I can learn from the faith of the centurion. 1. I’m not worthy, yet Jesus’s healing power is available to me. All I have to do is ask. 2. My faith allows me to ask for healing for those I care about and allows others to ask for healing on my behalf. 3. There is incredible power in belief. The centurion’s faith in Jesus’s ability to heal allowed Jesus to heal. If there had been no faith, there could be no healing.

Luke 7:6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.

Precious Savior, Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. I know that Your strength is perfected in my weakness. It is astounding to me that my unbelief can inhibit Your ability to work in my life. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief. Amen.

Luke 7:7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Jealousy, anger, and bitterness are emotions I struggle with way more than I would like to admit. They are tied to my insecurities, which are many. And I think they are rooted in a scarcity mentality: If you get something good, that’s one less good thing that’s available for me. It’s a ridiculous mentality, but one I have to consciously fight against.

Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Being aware of my tendency, being mindful of God’s grace and mercy towards me—unearned and undeserved—being mindful that I am to treat others as God treats me, even when that treatment is undeserved, especially then—these things are what help me to live a more open, loving, grace-full life. I am absolutely a work in progress, but I’m getting there, slowly but surely.

Luke 6:44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your compassion and grace for me. I don’t deserve either. I can never be worthy of the love You lavish on me. And yet, You love me fiercely simply because I am Yours. Help me to concentrate on loving others with compassion and mercy as You love me. Amen.

Luke 6:45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

Imagine the scene: Simon Peter washing his nets after a long night at sea with little to show for his efforts. This Rabbi, Jesus, gets in his boat and asks him to row off shore a bit so Jesus can instruct the masses, so he does. Once Jesus finishes teaching, He tells Simon Peter to head out to deep water and put out his nets.

Luke 5:5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

I wonder if Simon Peter actually rolled his eyes or just internally did so. I’m sure he was thinking, “I’m the fisherman here. And I’ve been at it all night with no luck. But whatever…. If you say so….” And Simon Peter is rewarded big for following Jesus’s command.

Luke 5:6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

Lord, Forgive me when I approach You and Your guidance with the attitude of a petulant child. Forgive me when I huff and sigh and roll my eyes because I don’t see the value or importance in what You want me to do. Help me in my attitude towards situations and people whom I find difficult to love. Help me to bring You praise and glory in all things. Amen.

Luke 5:7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

Have a blessed day.