A Work in Progress….

Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

What strikes me first about today’s verses is Jesus’s compassion for the woman. She is a widow, and her only child has died. Is his compassion for her loss? For the difficult life He knows she will have without a relative to care for her? Does it even matter the reason for His compassion? Jesus sees her pain, knows her pain, and He reacts with compassion.

Luke 7:14a Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still.  

I am a why kind of gal. I like to understand the inner workings of situations. But when it comes to Jesus, when it comes to His knowledge of our hearts, His understanding of our pain, our loss our grief, the why of it all doesn’t really matter. We are God’s deeply loved children. He sees our pain. He knows our pain. He showers us with compassion. Always.

Luke 7:14b He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that You are with me always. Thank You that You know my heart, You know my life, You understand my pain–no matter the cause, and You are with me, always. Thank You for Your deep love, mercy, and compassion. Amen.

Luke 7:15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  

The centurion, according to commentary, has both great faith (he knows Jesus can heal, just with His word) and great humility (he does not feel he is worthy of Jesus’s presence, but he knows all he needs is Jesus’s healing word for his servant). And as I was reading today’s verses, Hebrews 4:16 came to mind: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Luke 7:7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 

Our ability to approach God’s throne with confidence, I think, has skewed our perception of His healing. I know I’m guilty of thinking I know how healing would best look in a situation. And, typically when I pray for healing, I want earthly healing so life can continue as usual. God doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes heavenly healing is what’s best.

Luke 7:8a For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.

Precious Savior, Thank You for opening my eyes to these truths. I didn’t realize that my confidence in approaching Your throne came with my confidence that the healing *I* thought best was truly in line with Your will. Forgive me. Help me to trust. Help me to have great faith *and* great humility. Help me to approach Your throne with confidence that You know what’s best in every situation. Help me. Amen.

Luke 7:8b I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

Have a blessed day.

Luke 7:1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum.   

Commentary on Luke 7 helps me to understand that the centurion mentioned in these verses was unusual for the time period. For one, he has heard of Jesus and respects his authority as a healer. For another, he cares for his slave enough to ask others to approach Jesus on his behalf in hopes of procuring healing. Apparently, Roman law allows for the killing of sick slaves who are so ill they cannot work. This centurion did not choose that option.

Luke 7:2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.

All of this makes me wonder why we are getting this story at this time. Is it about the miraculous healing that is about to take place? Is it to show us that the centurion stereotypes that abound do not accurately reflect each individual? We can definitely learn a lot from that. We may not have centurions today, but we’ve got stereotypes, and we use them to lump people into easy, faceless categories. Jesus, Help us.

Luke 7:3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.

Precious Savior, Thank You for loving us as individuals and not lumping us into stereotyped categories. Help us to see each other as individuals. Help us not to lump and stereotype and judge. Help us to look at others, all others, and see You shining through. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 7:4-5 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 

Have a blessed day.

Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?   

I watch a lot of home improvement shows, and I know that if the foundation is solid, it doesn’t matter how far gone the house is, it can be rehabbed. It might have to be knocked down to the studs, but with a solid foundation, everything else can be fixed. However, if the foundation isn’t solid, the house cannot be saved. It doesn’t matter how grand or lovely or new the house is–a faulty foundation will ruin everything.

Luke 6:47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.

What a beautiful, affirming way to end Luke 6. I see all the mean and petty parts of myself that need to be turned over to Jesus, but I also know that my foundation is strong, it is built on Him, so even though I know I have a LOT of work yet to do, the house is savable because the foundation is solid. Thank You, Jesus.

Luke 6:48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

Precious Savior, I see all the issues. I see the metaphorical peeling wallpaper and the holes in the drywall. Thank You for the reminder that my foundation is solid in You. No matter how much work is left to do, Thank You that I’ve got You at my core. Amen.

Luke 6:49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 6:39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 

Heavenly Father, I have a lot on my mind, a lot on my heart, and I feel the deep truth of verses 41 and 42. Thank You for the pain and the eye watering that the speck of sawdust causes in my own eye. That helps me to know it is there and needs to be rooted out. Help me concentrate on the things You are calling me to attend to within myself.

Luke 6:40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

Adoring Lord, Help me to pay attention as You direct me to these pieces of myself–pieces that I have neglected to turn over to You, pieces that I have resisted turning over to You, pieces that I’ve been too oblivious to even realize needed my attention. Help me to focus on these areas and turn them over to You.

Luke 6:41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 

Precious Savior, I don’t want to live a small, mean, petty life. I want to live generously. I want to give freely. I want to shine Your light with all that I have, all that I am, all that I say, all that I do. Help me to lay all the petty parts of myself at Your feet so that You can wash me clean. Renew Your steadfast spirit within me. Help me to be more like You. Amen.

Luke 6:42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Have a blessed day.

Luke 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 

The past few weeks, God has truly been working on me, exposing all the small, mean, petty parts of my heart, shining light on these dark recesses, and saying, “Here it is, my child. This is something you need to relinquish to me. Let me wash this corner of your heart clean. Let me claim this piece of you as my own.”

Luke 6:38a Give, and it will be given to you. 

It feels pretty grueling. It’s embarrassing to me that I have so many small, mean, petty pieces left that I have not given over to Him. It feels like I’m exposing my soft underbelly, hoping I’ll be scratched, afraid I’ll be kicked. And it is so very frustrating that I still see the issues, the things I need to lay at His feet, yet I’m *still* dealing with them. I haven’t given them over yet. Jesus, Help me.

Luke 6:38b A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. 

Precious Savior, I want to live a generous, merciful life. I want to live life with my arms extended and hands outstretched. Yet I feel like I am living with fists tightly clenched, with jaws tightly clenched. I do not want to live like that. It does not bring You glory. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Luke 6:38c For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Have a blessed day.

Luke 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

Today I want to focus on verse 36: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Some days I feel like I need to write this verse in marker all over my house, my car, my classroom, so that I will be more mindful of it.

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 

I want my Savior to be merciful to me. I want others to be merciful to me. Anger, bitterness, judgment are often abundant, but sometimes, mercy is in short supply on my end. Jesus, help me!

Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Precious Savior, I want to be merciful, just as You are merciful. I don’t want to be angry, bitter, or judgmental, but sometimes, those emotions feel like my default. Jesus, Help me. Amen.

Luke 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Have a blessed day. I love you.