Today’s reading is Luke 23:1-24:53.

I can hardly fathom, hanging on a cross in immense torment and agony, dying, but then crying out, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46). What absolute trust. What absolute surrender.

Jesus was quoting Psalm 31:5. Just listen to the beginning of that Psalm: “In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.”

We know how the story ends so this statement may not seem as powerful as it really was. Having seen the end, we know Jesus was wise to commit His spirit into the Father’s hands. He was going to be resurrected on the third day. He was going to be delivered. But thing of this from the stand point of hanging on the cross. Think of this from the standpoint of being in the midst of the separation of the Father. How hard it must have been to look at the big picture of where all this would lead when distracted by the intense agony both physically and spiritually. Yet, Jesus trusted the Father.

I need to learn this kind of trust. Letting God be my refuge doesn’t mean I’ll never suffer. It means I know God will use it for good and I trust His knowledge of the big picture of my life, the lives around me, and eternity.

This helps me knowing that God if God is letting me go through some suffering, He has His reasons that will be for my good in the long run. When I actually have this concept firmly in my mind and heart, it produces a peace that passes understanding. I don’t have to live in fear that something awful might happen. If it does, I can know that God is working. He is my refuge. He is my stronghold. He is my deliverer. Instead of taking my spirit into my own hands, I can commit it into the hands of my loving, faithful Creator who really does have my best intentions at heart.

I’m going to make this prayer of Jesus a regular prayer for me, especially if I’m in the midst of something that I don’t like.

Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 21:1-22:71.

Luke 22:24-27 smacked me between the eyes again. I’m glad I’m reading this passage twice a year right now. Of course, there are also the parallels found in Matthew and Mark. I need to read this often.

“The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But no so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”

Being a Christian isn’t about progressing up the ranks of authority. Being a Christian is about becoming more and more of a servant. After all the second greatest commandment is to love my neighbor as myself.

I have to remember this because all too often, I want to be the master, not the servant. I want to be the lord who gets to exercise authority. I want to be the one who speaks and people listen. I want to be the one people look up to as the leader. I don’t want to be a servant. I don’t want to listen to others or be directed by others. I want to command my days. I don’t want them determined by the needs of others.

But Jesus was a servant. His entire life was about serving. It was not merely this moment of serving around the Passover table. He was serving because He was on His way to the cross to die for me. If God’s Son would do that for me, how much more should I do that for others?

I need to remember this at home. I need to remember this in my congregation. I need to remember this in my community. God hasn’t placed everyone else here to serve me. He is raising me up to be a servant.

God, make me a servant, just like your Son.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 19:1-20:47.

What was wrong with the third servant in Luke 19:20-21. “Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.”

Fear.

He was a afraid of failure. He was afraid of His master. He was afraid of the unknown. He allowed his fears to cripple him. He was so afraid that he wouldn’t be successful and therefore that his master would punish him, that he didn’t do anything.

Here is what amazes me. He allowed his fear of punishment to so cripple him that he incurred punishment. The very thing he was so desperately trying to avoid, he caused.

That is exactly what I do sometimes. I get so wrapped up in my fears and I try to make sure my fears don’t happen, then I actually cause them to come true.

What did the servant need to do? First, he needed to get into reality. Instead of living in the fantasy of his fears of what the master might do if some unknown thing happened in some unknown future, he needed to live in the reality of the day. Second, if he was ignorant of how to use the mina, perhaps he could have asked the servant that was producing ten minas or the servant that was producing five. Instead of living in the shame that he didn’t already know how to do what they were doing, he could have simply spent some time with them and learned from them. Third, he could have at least done something. Instead of living in the fear that it would be the wrong thing and that would cause the end of the world, he could have done something and if it was a mistake, learn from it to do better before the master returns. Let’s face it, do we honestly think the 10 and 5 mina producers only had success the whole time the master was gone? Of course not. That just isn’t the way life works. They made some minas and lost some minas and when the master returned they returned what they had netted.

Wow! That is exactly what I need to do today. I need to quit living in the fantasy of my fears about some potential future that hasn’t even happened yet. I need to spend time with people who have what I want and learn how they are getting it. Instead of being paralyzed by the fear that I’ll do the wrong thing, I just need to do something. If I don’t take these approaches, I will likely cause the very punishment I’m trying to avoid in the end.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 17:1-18:43.

Little children and blind beggars. They are nuisances. They get in the way. They bug and bother. Why would anyone be interested in them. In fact, no one was. The disciples were disturbed by the little children. The crowds were bothered by the blind beggar. Why can’t these people be quiet and stay away? Why do they always have to horn their way in on our time?

However, there was one who was interested. Despite the disciples attempts to keep the children away, Jesus said, “let the children come to me, and do not hinder them…” (Luke 18:16). Despite the crowds attempts to quiet the blind beggar, Jesus stopped and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41). Jesus did it.

Sadly, I often have little time for the children and blind beggars of the world. I’m too important. I’ve got too much important stuff to do. Don’t bother me with the trifling needs of the people around me. But Jesus is not like that. And I’m thankful. Because in reality in relation to Jesus, I am just a blind child begging for mercy and recovery.

Others may get in the way. They may try to convince me (some knowingly, some unknowingly) that I’m an embarrassment, that I’m not worthy, that I need to get my life together and then come back. But Jesus stops them and says, “Let him come to Me.” Thank you for that, Jesus. I love you.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 15:1-16:31.

I am once again reminded of the compassion God has given me and of the compassion I need to have for others.

For a long time, I’ve been enamored with the concept of “tough love.” Basically, what I thought that meant was if someone made their own bed, they had to lie in it. Sure, if someone through no fault of their own had a hard time in some area, emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, spiritually, then I would be there to help them out of their tight spot. That is, of course, the loving thing to do. However, if their trouble was in their own doing, my job was to be like wisdom in Proverbs 1:26, and laugh at their calamity. 

But then here is this story about a father and two brothers. This prodigal made his bed. He demanded his inheritance before the time. He wasted it on profligate living. He destroyed his own life. He comes back to his father. Will the father show tough love? Will he tell the son to pull himself up by the bootstraps and get out of his own mess he so willingly made? Will he accepts the son’s idea of being a servant and working his way out of it? That’s kind of an intermediate idea. “You have to work your way out of it, but I’ll help you get a job.” No. The father does none of these things. The father just shows love. He accepts the son back as his son. He shows mercy and grace.

The older brother, on the other hand, is livid. He’s all for tough love. “This son of yours” he calls the brother. He doesn’t deserve this. But of course not. If he deserved it, it wouldn’t be mercy and grace, would it? “He made his own bed. If he had been more like me, this wouldn’t have happened.”

I get two things out of this. I’m reminded that I am the prodigal. I’m not the son who stayed with the father the whole time (though, I think the older brother was not being honest with himself when he tried to claim he had always done what the father wanted, but that is another post). I’m the son who went into the far country, looking for meaning and fulfillment elsewhere. However, I never found it. Instead, I found things that left me broken and empty. I was eating pods with the pigs. I too came back to the Father with the idea that I could somehow be His servant, earning my keep. Then perhaps someday I could work my way up and deserve His love again…maybe. But, instead of demanding I earn my keep, He brought out the fattened calf and celebrated with me. He put a robe on my back and a ring on my finger and, because of His love, declared me His son. Wow! I needed that.

The second thing is I need to recognize that same thing with others. I’m a returning prodigal who has been shown mercy, grace and love. How can I show anything less to the other returning prodigals? Of course, I should not enable anyone to live in sin or continue with prodigal living. I should not be a codependent rescuer. That would be participating in their sin (Ephesians 5:11). If we keep the phrase “tough love” to mean we stay lovingly detached from those who want to stay in their problems and establish boundaries for our continued aid, then okay. But withholding mercy, grace, and aid from those who penitently seek it is not tough love. It is not love at all. We’ve all made our beds. If our Father forced us to lie in them, where would we be? If we do the same to our fellow returning prodigals, where would they be? 

I am reminded of two things today. I have been shown great mercy. I need to also be merciful.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Luke 13:1-14:35.

Luke 14:21-23 really got my attention today: “Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘God out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.’”

This comforted me because it reminded me that there is room for me at Christ’s table. It further comforted me because to get an invitation I learned that I don’t have to be wealthy, healthy, popular, praiseworthy, or anything else. Jesus wants me at His table no matter who I am or what I’ve done. 

Today, I’m going to see what I can do to get closer to Him and feast with Him.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 11:1-12:59.

What father among us would give his children a snake or a scorpion when they are asking for a fish or an egg. Even though we can mess things up pretty royally, we’re generally smarter than handing our child a rattlesnake or scorpion. Generally.

However, the great thing is that for God it is not “generally.” It is always. This teaching in Luke 11:11-13 is a powerful statement about God. God gives good gifts. He doesn’t give bad gifts.

Here are the two really important aspects of this that I have to learn.

1) Even when I think the gift is bad, I need to trust God that it is good. That is, some tough things happen in life. Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out how what is going on is really good for me. In fact, I may not be able to figure it out. That is when I simply have to trust God. His gifts are good. Since He’s God, He can see the good from them. Since I’m not God, I can’t always see the good. But His gifts are good.

2) This text says God won’t give me a snake when I ask for a fish and He won’t give me a scorpion when I ask for an egg. Here’s the great thing. Sometimes, due to my own immaturity, I’ve asked for the snake and the scorpion without realizing it. God will give me the fish and the egg anyway. God’s gifts are good.

We can trust God. When things aren’t going our way, that is when we need to simply trust that our refuge really is taking care of us. He really is helping us grow. His way will work best if we just trust it. All I know is this, when I quit trusting God and start trying to fix things on my own, I really mess them up. Today, I’m going to trust that God’s gifts really are good. One day I may see that. Today, I’m just going to walk by faith.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:42.

Jesus commissioned the seventy (some manuscripts say seventy-two) to go forth and prepare the way for Him by teaching and healing. When the disciples returned to Jesus, they said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17). Jesus validates their joy but then pushes them to further maturity.

He let them feel joy in the work they were accomplishing by His name. But then He says something odd. “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

It seems odd that Jesus rejoiced with the disciples as He proclaimed, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18), but then He said don’t rejoice in that. What’s up with that?

I believe Jesus is using a figure of speech called the ellipsis. That is He purposefully left out understood words in order to emphasize His point. If we were to supply the words He left out the statement would be something like this: “Nevertheless, do not merely rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but more importantly rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Using the ellipsis figure of speech really highlights the point. It is as if to say, “As much as you are rejoicing in this, you need to rejoice so much that your names are written in heaven that it seems like your rejoicing over these miracles is no rejoicing at all.”

The point is that as great as being able to perform miracles is, it is greater that our names are written in heaven. This is important today. I believe the Spirit no longer use miraculous gifts because His will is now recorded for us. (If you disagree with me, perhaps we can talk about that sometime, please don’t get distracted by it just now, keep reading.) I remember studying with a woman who was certain they did exist. I was very saddened because as we studied the Scriptures, she said she saw that the Bible does say what I was teaching, but she simply couldn’t believe that was right because, “If God doesn’t give me miraculous gifts, then I’m not special.”

Even though that is not a scriptural argument, I understand the emotion behind it. We want to be special. I want to be special. In our minds, what could be more special than God granting me some amazing power that makes us stand out? I so desperately want to be worth something because as I look at my sins and as I consider how I’ve been treated by many people, I often feel worth nothing. I want to feel special and wouldn’t it be great if I could say the word and someone would be healed? Wouldn’t it be great if I could evangelize the hispanics because I can speak their language miraculously? Then I’d know I’m special.

Of course, I don’t believe God works that way in the modern day. So what do I do? I try to prove I’m special by still looking at all the things I do. Look at my preaching. Look at my writing. Look at the people I’ve baptized. Look at the folks I’ve helped. See, I’m special. I’ll give a nod to God’s strength and God working through me, but really I’m rejoicing in me trying to prove I’m special.

Jesus says, that isn’t the way I should think or act. Sure, God working through us to accomplish things is great. But I’m special without that. My name is written in heaven. God looked at me and sent His Son to die for me. He adopted me and redeemed me. My name is in His book of Life. It just doesn’t get anymore special than that.

I’m going to rejoice today because my name is written in heaven. I hope you can rejoice with me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 3:1-4:44.

Back in Luke 1:35, Gabriel told Mary her son would be called the Son of God. In today’s reading, Luke 3:22 shows the Spirit of God descending on her son as He was baptized and proclaims the voice of God saying, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” Then Luke caps off the genealogy of Jesus saying, “Jesus…the son of God.”

However, out of the starting gate, Jesus goes into the wilderness and is tempted by the devil. In two of the temptations, Satan said, “If you are the Son of God” (Luke 4:3, 9). The question was, “Do you really believe what God said to you at your baptism? Prove it.” No doubt, Satan was tempting Jesus to test God and worship him, but another subtle temptation is going on behind this. Satan wanted Jesus to question God’s word and promise to Him. Satan wanted to produce an identity crisis in Jesus. “If you were really God’s Son, then…”

Satan does that to me to. “If you were really a child of God, then you would do such and such, you would be better at this and that, you would never have done thus and so.” I can get really messed up spiritually about that because, unlike Jesus, I really have messed some things up. I really do have some things about which I can think, “Man, maybe I’m not really God’s child.”

The point I need to remember is that being God’s child is about being in Christ, it is not about relying on my own righteousness. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I’m in Christ if I’m going off and doing my own thing. However, what it means is my mess ups as I’m growing in Christ are not reason for me to question my adoption by God. The reason He sent Jesus is because I’m a sinner. The reason He adopted me was not because I am perfect but to perfect me in His time. Philippians 2:12-13 says God is working on me. Romans 8:28-30 says that I will be conformed to Christ’s image because God has predestined that those who love Him will be conformed to His image. 

Satan wants me to question my adoption as God’s child. I must not let him cause an identity crisis. I am God’s child. God loves me and sent my older brother Jesus to die for me. If God loved me so much to reconcile me by Jesus’ death, He will save me by Jesus’ life (Romans 5:10). I can have confidence in my identity as God’s child and I don’t have to prove it to me, to Satan or to anyone else. I can simply rest in that today.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 1:1-2:52.

I can hardly imagine being Zechariah or Mary when Gabriel appeared. I wonder what he looked like. I wonder what it felt like with an angel in the room. I’m simply in awe of what that must have been like.

What feelings did it engender? Looks like fear was the common response. But the angel calmed them, “Do not be afraid,” he said. Then he explained interesting events. Elizabeth, barren for many years, would finally have a son (hear Abraham and Sarah’s story in this). Mary, a virgin, betrothed but as yet unmarried, would also have a child.

The part that really struck me today was Mary’s response: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Did she know what she was agreeing to? Did she know the scorn and ridicule she would suffer as an unwed mother? Did she know that people would hold that against her son as he grew up (cf. John 8:41)? Did she know the pain she would experience when her son died a young man, an innocent man dying a criminal’s death?

I have no idea what she knew or thought at the time. She didn’t know either. However, as her father Abraham followed God wherever He led even if he didn’t know where it was going to be, she was willing to pursue whatever God had in store for her.

I need to have this attitude as I read God’s word. “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” I need to have the faith and trust that God’s way works. Whatever He has in store for me will be all right in the end, even if it leads through hard and difficult times.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What caught your heart in today’s reading?