Category: Luke

Luke 8:19a Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him,

To my way of thinking, family is everything. God first, then family, then others. Family includes the family I was born into, the ones that were created through marriage and birth (so my siblings’ families are my family and my family is their family). It also includes friends who are family, lovingly called framily.

Luke 8:19b …but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd.

So my first reaction to verse 20 is….ouch. Shouldn’t Christ’s family have some sort of privilege? Interestingly, commentary tells us that Jesus’s brothers were not supportive of His ministry while He was alive. (It makes me wonder why they were there to see Him, honestly.) Also, as someone adopted into Christ’s family through grace, I’m thankful that there isn’t a hierarchy in place that I can’t touch. Jesus loves us…all of us…fiercely, deeply, completely.

Luke 8:20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the love of family and the role that love, that family plays in my life. Thank You that Your love of us is without hierarchy. You love the first to believe as much and as deeply as You love the one who just professed faith. Help us to love each other as well as You love us. Amen.

Luke 8:21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Verse 18 can be read as a threat, and I resist that interpretation with every fiber of my being. My God is not a hateful God, wagging His finger and saying, “You’d better listen or I’m taking my toys, even those I already gave you, and leaving.” My God is a loving God. He builds people up. He encourages them in love.

Luke 8:16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

I have a much easier time reading verse 18 as encouragement and reminder, as though God is saying, “Don’t slip into rote hearing. That way lies danger and complacency. Be an active listener, taking what you hear in My word and applying it to your life so that you can draw even closer to Me.”

Luke 8:17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

Precious Savior, It hurts my heart that some see You as a vengeful, hateful, nagging, punitive God. Thank You that that is not who You are to me. Thank You that You are my loving, encouraging, uplifting, compassionate, merciful Savior. Help me to shine Your light for all to see. Amen.

Luke 8:18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Commentary on today’s verses was fascinating, particularly because it touches on the idea of Reader Response Theory (RRT), which I fully subscribe to. RRT says that readers bring themselves to a text. Their lives, their experiences, help them make meaning of the text.

Luke 8:9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

Commentary goes on to say that this is true spiritually as well. If you aren’t looking for spiritual lessons, if you don’t understand or agree with spiritual ideas, you won’t see those things in the parable. But if you are looking to draw closer, to understand Jesus more, better, if you pay attention to the spiritual key (in verse 11), the spiritual lessons will be open to you.

Luke 8:10a He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,

Precious Savior, I love when You open my eyes and show me how truths in my professional life fit with truths in my spiritual life. Your word is active and alive, revealing Your truths with each additional reading *because* I am looking, listening, reading, trying to see and understand You. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13. Thank You. Amen.

Luke 8:10b …but to others I speak in parables, so that, “ ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Commentary on today’s verses was fascinating, particularly because it touches on the idea of Reader Response Theory (RRT), which I fully subscribe to. RRT says that readers bring themselves to a text. Their lives, their experiences, help them make meaning of the text.

Luke 8:9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

Commentary goes on to say that this is true spiritually as well. If you aren’t looking for spiritual lessons, if you don’t understand or agree with spiritual ideas, you won’t see those things in the parable. But if you are looking to draw closer, to understand Jesus more, better, if you pay attention to the spiritual key (in verse 11), the spiritual lessons will be open to you.

Luke 8:10a He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,

Precious Savior, I love when You open my eyes and show me how truths in my professional life fit with truths in my spiritual life. Your word is active and alive, revealing Your truths with each additional reading *because* I am looking, listening, reading, trying to see and understand You. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13. Thank You. Amen.

Luke 8:10b …but to others I speak in parables, so that, “ ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’

Have a blessed day.

Luke 8:4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 

I am not an expert gardener. In fact, my motto when it comes to plants is “Try to keep them alive.” But I know the joy of seeds sprouting, of potential peeking out of the soil. I get such a thrill to see those nascent shoots heading towards the heavens.

Luke 8:5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.

More than once, though, after a day or two of exciting potential, I have peeked in the pots to find…catastrophe. All that potential…gone, ruined. When I read today’s verses, that potential and excitement, that angst and disappointment are what I think of every time.

Luke 8:6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.

Precious Savior, Thank You for an analogy that makes total sense to me. I absolutely understand the potential, the promise, the excitement…only to see it wither. Help me to plant kindness, goodness, godliness deeply, to water it, to nurture it, so that it will blossom and grow and thrive. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 8:7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.

Have a blessed day.