Month: September 2024

Luke 8:46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” 

The woman who touched the hem of Jesus’s cloak had been bleeding for twelve years. Twelve years. That’s a long time. And because of this bleeding, she was considered ceremonially unclean in Jewish culture, meaning she would have been an outcast, denied human contact, for twelve years. I can’t even imagine.

Luke 8:47a Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. 

And now she’s caught. She took a risk, touching the hem of Jesus’s cloak, believing that just that touch could heal her. And it did! Her faith allowed Jesus’s healing to work. And He doesn’t shame her, our Precious Savior, He calls her “Daughter,”–commentary says this is the only time in the Bible that He calls anyone “Daughter”–He tells her her faith has healed her, and He tells her to “Go in peace” after twelve years of agony.

Luke 8:47b In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 

Precious Savior, Your gentleness, Your compassion, Your grace is breathtaking. Thank You. Help me to treat others, all others, with the same compassion that You treated this woman, this outcast. Her faith in You healed her body, but Your kindness to her healed her soul. Help me to go and do likewise. Amen.

Luke 8:48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 

According to commentary, the demon-possessed man was on the gentile side of the lake. In today’s scripture, Jesus has just returned to the Jewish side of the lake, but commentary says it’s still surprising that a synagogue leader would believe in Jesus, and that he only confessed his belief when his daughter was at the point of death and then only to get Jesus’s assistance.

Luke 8:41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 

It reminds me of a church marquee I once saw, “When all else fails, pray.” Should you wait until all else fails? But Jesus doesn’t interrogate (“Why did you wait until your daughter was on the point of death to publicly believe?”, doesn’t condemn “Too bad, so sad. You missed your chance for My healing.” He simply responds to the faith of the father and goes to assist.

Luke 8:42a …because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

Precious Savior, We do not deserve Your goodness. We cannot earn Your mercy. And yet, You lavish us with all of that and more daily. Thank You for responding to us in faith. Thank You for meeting us where we are. Help us to grow in love, in mercy, in You. Always. Help us. Amen.

Luke 8:42b …As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Commentary points out that the demons inhabiting this man recognized Jesus in verse 28 and called him by his full title: Jesus, Son of the Most High God. What struck me most in this commentary was the following: “They knew the true identity of Jesus better than the religious leaders did.”

Luke 8:30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 

The Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious leaders of the day, claimed to know who Jesus was and what He was about, yet a horde of demons in a defenseless man were the ones to call Him by His name. It strikes me as incredibly sad that these “religious leaders” were so blind, so ignorant.

Luke 8:31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I do not respond to You with the deference that You deserve. I know that You are Jesus, Son of the Most High God. Help me to live my life rooted in You. Help me never to forget who You are and who You are to me. Amen.

Luke 8:32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission.:

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.   

This whole scene fascinates me. Jesus gets off the boat and is met by a demon-possessed man. The wording, “was met by,” in verse 27 seems to imply that the man sought Jesus out; however, I wonder if it’s the man or the demon talking to Jesus in verse 28.

Luke 8:27a When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town.

Also, if the man sought Jesus out, why would his first words be, “I beg you, don’t torture me!”? Why would he seek Jesus out if he thought he would be tortured? Consciously, does he truly want healing? Subconsciously, is he seeking healing? And how does all of this apply to my life, real life?

Luke 8:27b For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs.

Precious Savior, I have so many questions. There are so many things that I do not understand. Thank You for the ability to read and study Your word. Thank You when passages do make sense and are easily applicable to my life. Thank You also for those times when I have to study and read and ruminate on passages, coming back to them to see if they are clearer, more accessible to me. All of it draws me closer to You. Thank You. Amen.

Luke 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:24a The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

This passage, this story in all its iterations, has always resonated with me. *I* am the disciples freaking out in the storm with Jesus napping peacefully in my boat. *I* am the one amazed after Jesus quiets the storm. *I* am the one of whom He asks, “Where is your faith?” because of my panic with Him right there with me. Help me, Jesus.

Luke 8:24b He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 

Commentary says about this section, “Unbelief is the rejection of a promise or a command of God relevant to a particular situation.” My gut reaction is to reject this sentence, but I know that my fear, even when God has promised to be with me ALWAYS, is a problem. At its heart, fear is unbelief (Why would I be afraid if I trusted His promise to be with me always?), and that is not where I want to be. Help me, Jesus.

Luke 8:25a  “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

Precious Savior, Thank You for this reminder that my fear, my anger, my need for control all subvert my faith in You. I do not want that. I love You. I believe You. I trust You. Lord, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 8:25b 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 8:22a One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”

Nothing catches Jesus off guard. Even bad things, like Judas’s betrayal and Jesus’s eventual death, are known to Him, so when He gets in the boat and goes immediately to sleep, the disciples should have known all was well.

Luke 8:22b So they got into a boat and set out.

You would think that the disciples, who had Jesus in their midst, would be able to trust a bit more easily. “Jesus the Messiah is napping in our boat. This feels scary, but clearly, it’s ok.” I don’t know whether to be relieved or annoyed that they are so much like me sometimes.

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

Precious Savior, Thank You that You are sovereign, loving, compassionate, merciful. Thank you for the knowledge that if You are comfortable enough to nap in my boat, I can take comfort in Your presence and Your ease, no matter my circumstances. Help me to trust. Amen.

Luke 8:23b …and they were in great danger.

Have a blessed day.