A Work in Progress….

Luke 8:1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him,   

What strikes me in today’s verses is the women. The Twelve were with Jesus, but that seems mentioned almost as an aside. The women are enumerated, named specifically, described and identified. The women were helping to support them (Jesus and the Twelve) out of their own means.

Luke 8:2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;

Even in today’s society, there is much debate over the role of women, the authority of women, the pay of women, the rights of women. (Interestingly, so many of these conversations are being led by men. Weird.) But Jesus saw women as people, fearfully and wonderfully made, created for a purpose, important and valuable and loved.

Luke 8:3a Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others.

Precious Savior, You tell us to love You and love others. Period. You want us to protect the dignity of human life, all life. Thank You for showing us a clear example of this tenant in Your own time. Help us to love as You love. Completely. Fiercely. Amen.

Luke 8:3b These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

In verse 50, Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” The strength of our faith is a vital part of Jesus’s healing in our lives because if we don’t believe in His ability to work in our lives, we limit His ability to work in our lives. Read that line again: Our faith (or lack) in Jesus can limit His ability to work in our lives.

Luke 7:48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

In today’s scripture, the woman’s faith allowed her to accept God’s gift of grace: She believed, by faith, that Jesus forgave her sins, that those sins were forgiven. Had she not had the faith to believe, she would not have been able to go in peace because she would have still been living under the shadow of all her sin.

Luke 7:49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Precious Savior, It is shocking to me that my faith in You can limit Your ability to work in my life, but I understand that if I refuse to believe You–that I am healed, that my sins are forgiven, that You win in the end and, therefore, if things are not ok, it can’t be the end–then I will continue to live under the yoke of anger, pain, and sin. Forgive me for my struggle. Help me to break the chains of doubt that cling to me so that I can live freely, faithfully in Your peace. Amen.

Luke 7:50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:44a Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?    

Simon the Pharisee is who invited Jesus for dinner. Simon Peter, the disciple, is a different person altogether. I struggled a bit with today’s verses because I thought, at first, that Jesus was talking to Simon Peter here, but He is not.

Luke 7:44b I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

Jesus is talking to His host, Simon the Pharisee, who did not show Him any of the courtesies that a host typically shows a guest (water for the feet, a kiss of greeting, oil to anoint His head). The host did not show common courtesy, yet this sinful woman braved the awkwardness of coming into a Pharisee’s house to shower Jesus with her gratitude.

Luke 7:45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I sit back in judgment, when I skip common courtesies, when I have an agenda for my time with You. Thank You for this look at the Pharisee, who isn’t so different from me in my attitudes at times. Help me, Jesus, to be more like the brave, yet sinful woman who is so grateful for You, to You that she humbles herself and braves ridicule and judgment to shower You with gratitude. Amen.

Luke 7:46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.

I’m tired and grumpy this morning, and my first, very unChristian thought when I read this was, “It must have been exhausting being around Jesus. Everything is a lesson.” But isn’t that life? Everything IS a lesson. You can learn and grow with every thought, every mistake and misstep, every victory.

Luke 7:41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 

And the beauty of Jesus is that He knows His children, even us, have brains in our heads. He lets us see what happened. He shares a story or parable to help us understand the lesson. Then He follows up to be sure we were paying attention. (And He doesn’t condemn us when we are tired and grumpy and when we grumble a bit. Thank You, Jesus.)

Luke 7:42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Precious Savior, Thank You that You are always teaching, always trying to help Your children learn how to do better, be better. Thank You that You communicate in actions and stories and parables and words. Thank You for the many layers there are to Your truth, that as we grow and mature, we can see more, understand more. Thank You. Amen.

Luke 7:43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 

Heavenly Father, Be with me as I go through this day. Help  me not to weigh You down with my human expectations. Help me to be able to see You as You are, where You are. Help me to choose joy this day, to see all the little blessings and miracles that are everywhere.

Luke 7:27 This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

Dearest Lord, I don’t want to miss Your blessings, Your provision, because I am so distracted with my wants, needs, worries, troubles. Help me to be still in each moment and to know that You are God, You are sovereign, You are with me. Always.

Luke 7:28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Precious Savior, Help me to be still and know that You are God. Help me to be mindful so that I don’t miss Your presence, which is all around me. Root me in Your peace, love, and mercy each moment so that I can experience this day as You intend–focused solely on Your goodness, shining Your light for others, being Your hands and feet in this weary world. Amen.

Luke 7:29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.   

Again we are back to people’s *expectations* of Jesus. The Jewish people were being oppressed by Roman rule. They *expected* a Messiah who would deliver them from that rule. They were so convinced that that was who the Messiah would be, what the Messiah would do, that they missed Jesus the Messiah in their midst. Healing the sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf? Impressive, I guess, but when I’ve got Roman soldiers breathing down my back, I’m looking for something much different.

Luke 7:23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

I am so, so guilty of the exact same thing. I get hyper focused on some problem or issue or desire of my heart, and even though God shows up and shows out in my life again and again and again, I miss it because I *expect* something different. I feel like that must truly hurt God’s heart–to see His beloved so focused, so miserable, and so utterly missing His many, many gifts and blessings while my attention is on something else. Jesus, Help me.

Luke 7:24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 

Precious Savior, You know my fallible human nature. You know my heart. Forgive me when I miss Your bigger plan because I am so focused on my own *expectations.* Help me to be present in each moment, to seek You, to see You, to be Your hands and feet in this world. Amen.

Luke 7:25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 

I find today’s scripture fascinating and a bit heartening. John, Christ’s forerunner, is questioning if Christ is the Messiah. Commentary says, “John was already in prison, and things began to appear incomprehensible to him. He had expected that Christ would speedily destroy the powers of darkness and judge the unrighteous. But instead of doing this, He leaves him, His forerunner, helpless in prison.” (Geldenhuys)

Luke 7:19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Don’t misunderstand. I am not heartened because John is confused. I am heartened because I have had moments where I have been like, “What the heck, God?!?” and John’s reaction helps me to see I’m not the only one. Though as I type this, I realize that John had *expectations* of what the Messiah would do–human, fallible expectations–but Jesus isn’t a puppet on a string. His ways are not our ways. I am guilty of having human *expectations* for Jesus as well.

Luke 7:20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ”

Precious Savior, Thank You for opening my eyes to the fact that I have very human expectations for You at times. Thank You that Your ways are not my ways, Your ways are higher than anything I can imagine. Help me to stop projecting my expectations on You. Help me to see You and love You as You are and to trust Your sovereignty in all situations. Amen.

Luke 7:21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.

Have a blessed day.