Month: October 2023

Luke 12:35-36 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.

The bible instructs us repeatedly to stay alert, to stay prepared, to stay watchful. But my fickle, fleshly body can only keep that heightened state for a short while. Then I get complacent or lazy or just plain tired. Today’s scripture says that if I am not ready, I might miss Jesus.

Luke 12:38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 

But as I look at the earlier verses in Luke 12, I think perhaps Jesus is not arguing for physical readiness so much as mental readiness. If we are worried and distracted by trivial concerns, we aren’t focused on Jesus and His kingdom. If we aren’t looking, aren’t focused, aren’t tuned to Him, we’ll miss Him every time, even if He’s right in front of us.

Luke 12:39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your word, Your light, Your truth. Help me, daily, to be a little more like You, to love a little more like You, to serve a little more like You. Help me to be attuned to You, Your kingdom, Your will. Help me to be ready. Amen.

Luke 12:40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.   

The message of this chapter feels entirely opposed to the message the world so readily and loudly exclaims. The world preaches a scarcity narrative: Don’t give it away. You might need it. Don’t put others first. That puts you last. Don’t be generous. Look out for yourself. Just typing these words makes me anxious.

Luke 12:33a Sell your possessions and give to the poor….

However, Luke 12 is about God’s abundance and provision. The themes that run throughout are along the lines of: Don’t be afraid. Don’t be stingy. Don’t hoard items you are afraid you will run out of just to be sure you have enough for the future. Give to others and it will be given to you. God will provide. Just put Him first.

Luke 12:33b …Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Precious Savior, It can be difficult to be IN this world but not OF this world. But the world brings great anxiety. Thank You for Your abundant grace, peace, and love. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to You, regardless of how loud and insistent the world is. Amen.

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 

The first three verses today are repeats from yesterday and the day before because verse 31 really needs the context. I often get caught up in reminders not to worry about my life, what I will eat, my body, what I will wear, but I can’t remember really noticing verse 31.

Luke 12:23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

It’s not just that I am not to worry because the Lord will take care of me. It is also that instead of worrying, I am to seek His kingdom. By doing that, all these things that I need–food, clothing, etc, will be given to me because I am focused on the right thing–God’s kingdom.

Luke 12:29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.

Lord, You know I worry about everything. Thank You for continually reminding me to place my cares at Your feet, to set my mind on You and Your kingdom, and not to worry because You have got me. Help me, Lord. Amen.

Luke 12:31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 

A friend shared his general life philosophy with me last year, and I have grappled with it since: “It just doesn’t matter.” On the one hand, it sounds fatalistic, like nothing you do has purpose, and I cannot subscribe to that philosophy. On the other hand, when I am really stressed out about something trivial, it helps me to keep things in perspective.

Luke 12:28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!  

I think Jesus is saying something similar in these verses. Don’t go around starving. Don’t go around naked. But know that you don’t have to stress and worry and fret over these necessities because I will provide for you. You are my deeply loved child.

Luke 12:29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it.

Precious Savior, Thank You for perspective that can only come from You. Thank You for freeing me up from trivial worries so that I can focus on Your important kingdom work. Help me to keep you first in my life. Always. Amen.

Luke 12:30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.  

As I was thinking about what to write this morning, the phrase “Worry robs today of its joy” came to mind. Not only can I not add a single hour to my life with worry (v25), but I actually steal time from my life when I consume myself with worry.

Luke 12:23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

But verse 26 gets my attention this morning. “Since you cannot do this very little thing [add a single hour to your life], why do you worry about the rest?” The perspective I get when I read this verse is akin to the perspective that comes from takeoff in an airplane. Everything on the ground is so big, so important, yet in mere moments after takeoff, everything looks so tiny and inconsequential.

Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 

Precious Savior, Perspective is a beautiful gift. Thank You. You know that I continue to struggle with worry. Thank You for continuing to remind me to give all my cares to You, to leave them at your feet, and to embrace this day and all it holds. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 12:25-26 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

This section of scripture has always stressed me out a bit as I feel like saving for retirement is really important, but the most important piece, I think, is verse 21: “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 

The point of these verses isn’t “Don’t save for retirement,” it’s “Don’t become so busy saving for the future that you neglect what’s important today–Your relationship with Jesus.” That, unfortunately, I’ve been guilty of–being so future-focused in my planning, saving, and doing, that I neglect that crucial relationship today. Jesus, Help me.

Luke 12:19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’

Lord, Help me never to forget that my relationship with You is THE most important thing in my life. Everything else is secondary. Help me to nurture that relationship daily. Help me to keep everything else in life in perspective. Amen.

Luke 12:20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

I want to focus on verse 13 today. This morning when I read these verses, the similarity between Luke 12:13 and Luke 10:40 struck me. In the second, Martha essentially demands, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ In today’s verse 13, a man demands Jesus have his brother divide an inheritance with him.

Luke 12:14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”  

How frustrating I imagine this must have been for Jesus. He is trying to give them eternal life, a straight path to God, and everyone wants Him to fix family squabbles, and not only that, it’s family squabbles about things that don’t matter, that aren’t eternally important. And it saddens me to realize that I am guilty of approaching “Jesus the Fixer,” too.

Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for allowing me to see these truths this morning. Help me to focus on You as the Lord of all Creation and not as the Squabble Fixer. Thank You for being both, for loving me when I tuck You into a certain niche and try to leave You there. But thank You even more for opening my eyes to issues and truths I totally overlook yet need to see clearly. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 12:16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 

I want to focus on verses 11 and 12 because I have always struggled with what to say. I used to joke that I would never make a good lawyer because it would be a day or two later before I formulated a good rebuttal. But verses 11 and 12 tell me not to worry about what I will say, that the Holy Spirit will teach me at that time, when I need the words.

Luke 12:9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. 

There have been many times when I have been struggling for the right words to communicate with someone that they are not alone, that there is hope, that they are worthy. I feel incredibly inept at the task, but I have learned to rely on the Holy Spirit, to lead with my inept human attempts wrapped in God’s grace and pray for the best. Even though it is never perfect, the message gets through.

Luke 12:11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 

Precious Savior, Sometimes I feel like Moses, giving you excuse after excuse about why I can’t do what You call me to do, and I feel so strongly that You have called me to encourage and uplift others. Thank You that I don’t have to have the perfect words, I just need a heart full of love and compassion for You and my fellow human. Teach me the right words as I need them to shine Your light and love. Amen.

Luke 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:6a Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  

I am thankful that I feel like I can give everything to God–big and little, important and trivial. I am still working on actually doing that. Sometimes, far too often, I cling to things that I should lay at His feet, but that’s a subject for another time. Today is about giving even the little things to Him.

Luke 12:6b Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

I absolutely can, will, and do pray for things like the rain to stop, or a parking spot to open up, or for me to make it just a little bit further. God doesn’t always grant my request in my timing, but the process of giving it to Him allows me His comfort no matter the circumstances.

Luke 12:7a Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Precious Savior, Thank You for Your fierce love of me. Thank You that because You love me so deeply, You always have time for the minutia crowding my mind, my view, my day. Help me to never forget that I can give all my cares to You, no matter how big or small. Thank You so much. Amen.

Luke 12: 7b Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 12:1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

I’ve heard it said that God is bigger than our feelings, and I have a bit of an idea of what that truly means; however, I still need to work on keeping my mouth closed and clinging to God, especially when I feel angry, scared, or hurt. At those times I am prone to giving sway to my feelings and saying things that I am sure I will regret.

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

And when I think about the things I’ve said in the context of verses 2-3, I truly feel a sense of shame as I know I have said things in the heat of emotion–anger, fear, pain–that I would not want broadcast on live tv. And it suddenly occurs to me that this issue is directly related to the issues of pride and humility that God has been working with me on for so long.

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

Precious Savior, Thank You for being bigger than my feelings. Help me, when I am in the midst of emotional upheaval, to cling to You instead of giving sway to big emotions and words that will haunt me. Help me to lay it all at Your feet and wrap myself in Your peace instead of spewing words I will regret. 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.