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.
Verse 30 really gets my attention this morning: “But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves…” The Jesus-loving, Bible-reading Christian in me gasps at this line. How could they….NO, How *dare* they REJECT God’s purpose for themselves?!? What idiots! What utter fools! What is wrong with the Pharisees and the experts?
Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
However, the human, fleshly, deeply flawed part of myself gets it because I’ve done it. I’ve seen what God was calling me to and turned my back. “That’s not for me. Surely You must be mistaken. Nope, I don’t think I want to do that.” Call it stubbornness or intractability, but what it truly is is rejection of God’s purpose for me. Jesus, Help me!
Luke 7:31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?
Precious Savior, Thank You for never giving up on me, even when I dig in my heels and reject what you are calling me to do. Forgive me for being the stubborn fool that I am at times. Help me to hear Your still small voice calling to me. Help me to listen, even when I am afraid, even when I don’t want to walk the path You call me to. Help me, Jesus. Amen.
Luke 7:32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’
Have a blessed day.