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Only and always…. (devo reflection)

John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3 speaks directly to my heart, my struggles, in two specific ways: the need for understanding and the need for acknowledgment. Verse 8 speaks to the need for understanding. Jesus talks to Nicodemus about the fact that you don’t have to understand the way of the wind to see it at work. So it is with the Spirit.

John 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

In verse 30, John the Baptist is talking to his disciples about Jesus and the fact that more people are going to Him for baptism. John is not angry or upset. He knows that’s the way it should be—Jesus’s glory is proclaimed while John’s pride takes a back seat.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Lord, Thank You for knowing my heart and understanding my struggles. Thank You for loving me too much to let me continue with a divided heart. You gave me this deep knowledge to understand and this understanding that people need to feel acknowledged and appreciated. Help me use them only and always to bring You praise and glory. Amen.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Have a blessed day.

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My eternity in Your capable hands…. (devo reflection)

John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Commentary on this section mentioned a saying that I’ve heard often from my pastor: The worst thing is never the last thing. Another way I’ve seen this idea worded in popular culture is the saying: Everything will be ok in the end. If it’s not ok, it’s not the end.

John 2:7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

I’ve never thought to apply that philosophy to this scripture, though. And I find it fascinating that this first sign takes place at a wedding feast. I think it shows that Jesus cares deeply about us and therefore cares about the things that we care about—not in an eternity distorting way, but in a way that shows His deep compassion for His people.

John 2:8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

Lord, Thank You for the ability to see today’s scripture with new eyes. Thank You for the insights You whisper to my heart. Thank You for caring about what I care about and for ensuring that the worst thing is never the last thing. Thank You for holding my eternity in Your capable hands. Amen.

John 2:10 …[the master of the banquet] said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Have a blessed day.

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Shutting out the noise…. (devo reflection)

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Lord, You ask the disciples in verse 38, “What do you want?”, essentially, “Why are you following Me, seeking Me?” Everything feels chaotic and too much today, Lord, the stuff everywhere, the attitudes, all there is to do and to be done—it all feels like too much. So I come to You this morning, like every morning, seeking Your peace and grace to combat the chaos.
John 1:16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.
Verse 5 reminds me that no darkness can triumph over Your light. Verse 16 reminds me that You lavish me with grace upon grace. In 2 Cor 12:9 You remind me that Your strength is perfected in my weakness. Help me to cling to these truths, to lay down my doubts and fears at Your feet, to shut out the noise, to wrap myself in Your peace that surpasses all understanding.
John 1:38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
Lord, I’m a mess, but I am also Your deeply, fiercely loved child. Help me to rest in You, to find my center in You, to trust that Your strength is perfected in my weakness, that You’ve got me, that it is well with my soul. Amen.
John 1:41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
Have a blessed day.
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In the mundane ordinary of life…. (devo reflection)

Luke 24:30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 
These two unnamed disciples were standing in the presence of Jesus, but they didn’t realize it. Scripture says they were kept from recognizing Him (verse 16), but how many times have I been so wrapped up in my own mess that I missed Jesus in my midst? There is a lesson for me here.
Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 
Interestingly, it was during the breaking of bread, a mundane daily necessity, when their eyes were opened to the Savior in their presence. Again, there is a lesson for me here.
Luke 24:32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Lord, Thank You for whispering to my heart. Thank You for the reminder to seek You always, in my sorrows and pain, in my joys and celebrations, in the mundane ordinary of life. Open the eyes of my heart. Help me to seek You always and in all things. Amen.
Luke 24:35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Have a blessed day.
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Community, not mob mentality…. (devo reflection)

Luke 23:13-14 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.
This should have been the end of it. Pilate examined Jesus and found no fault. He sent Him to Herod who also found no fault in Him. However, he was still going to punish Him (habit? Placating?) before releasing Him. But the people wouldn’t have it, and Pilate eventually gave in.
Luke 23:15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.
I’ve said before that we all want to feel seen and accepted. There is a lot of power in that. But mob mentality is also very real and typically very destructive. We can’t just get caught up in the frenzied crowd, yelling for the blood of an innocent Man. Jesus, help us.
Luke 23:16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”
Lord, Thank You for whispering these truths to my heart. You made us for community but not for mob mentality. Help us to seek godly communities that glorify You and not angry mobs out for blood. Help us to use our voices and presence to glorify You and comfort Your people. Amen.
Luke 23:18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
Have a blessed day.
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My prideful attitude…. (devo reflection)

Luke 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 
There is much speculation about what was going on in Judas’s mind around this time. Some speculate that he was trying to force Jesus’s hand so that Jesus’s political power and glory could finally be seen. Maybe he finally realized that Jesus wasn’t the political power he thought he would be and he felt betrayed by his allegiance. I’m willing to bet pride played a role in some—probably large—capacity, regardless.
Luke 22:4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 
Humans are ridiculously prideful creatures. My own pride is often cloaked in bitterness and anger—I thought I was more important than that. I thought I was more respected than that. I thought I was more loved than that. How could I be treated this way?!?—But Jesus knows even this about us and says in verse 32, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 
Precious Savior, Forgive me for my prideful attitude, which often lashes out as anger and bitterness. Help me in this struggle. I want to lay my wounded, exhausted pride at Your feet and leave it there, divorced entirely from myself. Help me, and allow me to “strengthen my brothers” along this journey as well. Amen.
Luke 22:6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
Have a blessed day.
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A shift in perspective…. (devo reflection)

Luke 21:34a “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life…

What strikes me about this section is the fact that Jesus doesn’t want me to be weighed down by the anxieties of life because He does not want me to be caught unaware when He returns. It’s not about a failing in me—my inability to fully trust Him— it is about His desire for my relationship with Him. He wants me to be with me so He doesn’t want me to be caught unaware.

Luke 21:34b “…and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.

The shift in focus is at once both tiny and huge. My anxiety is not about me and my inability to trust. My anxiety is about things that come between me and my Savior, that cause me to take my eyes and my focus off of Him.

Luke 21:35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.

Lord, Thank You for this shift in perspective, which at its heart is a lesson in humility. My anxiety—and this life—are not about me, my failings, my shortcomings, but about removing things from my life that take my focus off of You. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 21:36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Have a blessed day.

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The right of ownership…. (devo reflection)

Luke 20:9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.

Everything I have is God’s. It was given to me by God. It is not mine but His. Sadly, this right of ownership is as easy for me to forget as it was for the farmers in this parable. You metaphorically work the land long enough, and you begin to feel like you earned the rewards, like you deserve them. That’s pride.

Luke 20:10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

Because all that I have is from God, belongs to God, I should be giving back to Him every chance I get—time, talent, and resources. But, again, it’s easy to forget that the foundation of everything is from Him, of Him. It’s easy to get indignant that “after all my hard work,” He wants His share, deserves His share freely and without complaint, that in reality, it’s ALL His anyway. Forgive me, Jesus.

Luke 20:13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

Precious Savior, Thank You for continuing to work on my heart in the area of pride. Thank You for the illustration of The Parable of the Tenants. Thank You for the reminder that all that I am and all that I have is Yours. Forgive me. Help me. Amen.

Luke 20:14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

Have a blessed day.

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Lessons from Zacchaeus…. (devo reflection)

Luke 19:3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

Typically when I read this section, my focus is on Jesus and His reaction to Zacchaeus, but much can be learned by studying Zacchaeus in this passage. 1. He was short but determined. He couldn’t see over the road so he climbed a tree. 2. He wasn’t concerned with what others thought. If he were, he probably wouldn’t have climbed the tree, wouldn’t have met Jesus, wouldn’t have changed.

Luke 19:4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

3. He was actively seeking Jesus. His curiosity wasn’t just hypothetical. He put his searching into action. 4. He responded to Jesus’s invitation. He could have said, “I’m good. I was just curious.” Instead, he acted and acted differently than he had in the past. 5. He made amends. Zacchaeus knew what he had done, knew what he needed to do to follow Christ. He made a commitment to follow Him and make amends.

Luke 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Lord, Thank You for seeing Zacchaeus and all those who actively seek You. Help me to be active and determined yet humble as I seek You daily. Help me respond daily to Your invitation of faith. Help me to make amends when I do not treat others as I should. Renew my heart, Lord. Draw me closer. Amen.

Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Have a blessed day.

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The key to balance…. (devo reflection)

Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

Commentary says about this chapter, “It is impossible for us to give more to God than He gives back to us.” Perhaps this idea is the key to balance. There is a lot of kingdom work to be done. It is easy to get discouraged, weary, to long for recognition for all my efforts. But no matter how much I give, I can’t out give God.

Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

But out giving God is not the point. Earning the blessings He’s lavished upon us is impossible. For me, it’s about keeping focus on Him so I can avoid the worldly traps of discouragement, weariness, and desire for recognition.

Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Lord, Thank You for helping me wrestle with these issues that plague my heart. Help me to stay focused on You, centered on You, renewed in You. Help me to be still and know that You are God. Help me turn fully from this world and rest in You alone. Amen.

Luke 18:40-42 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Have a blessed day.