Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 2 April 2014 "Healing, and hearts that refuse it"

Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 2 April 2014 "Healing, and hearts that refuse it"
Daily Scripture: Luke 21:1 He looked up, and saw the rich people who were putting their gifts into the treasury. 2 He saw a certain poor widow casting in two small brass coins.[a] 3 He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them, 4 for all these put in gifts for God from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”
5 As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said, 6 “As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.”
7 They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”
8 He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he[b],’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”
10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 It will turn out as a testimony for you. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict. 16 You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. 17 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. 18 And not a hair of your head will perish.
19 “By your endurance you will win your lives.
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the middle of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein. 22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
29 He told them a parable. “See the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near. 31 Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God’s Kingdom is near. 32 Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.
34 “So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. 35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. 36 Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet. 38 All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.
Footnotes:
a. Luke 21:2 literally, “two lepta.” 2 lepta was about 1% of a day’s wages for an agricultural laborer.
b. Luke 21:8 or, I AM
Reflection Questions:
Jesus ended eighteen years of disability for one woman "at once." Since he did it on the Sabbath, that upset the synagogue leader. To him, her case was no crisis—she'd suffered for 18 years. But for Jesus, that made healing, now, even more vital (verse 16). Still making his way to Jerusalem (verse 22), he mourned over a spirit that loved rules above people. One commentary called verses 31-35 "Lament of the Rejected Lover."
Someone asked a theoretical question: ""Lord, will only a few be saved?" (verse 23) Jesus' answer was completely personal. The Message rendered it as "Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires your total attention." Are you ever tempted to let abstract religious questions distract you from a focus on your own relationship with God? What spiritual practices most help you keep things personal with God?
Verses 33-35 were the first of four laments Jesus spoke for Jerusalem in Luke. (The others are in 19:41-44, 21:20-24 and 23:27-31.) What do Jesus' sorrowful words about the fate of the city that was rejecting him tell you about his heart? How do you react when trouble comes to a person or group that you might consider an enemy?
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you said you wanted to gather the people of Jerusalem "as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings." They didn't want that—but I do. Shelter and nurture my life in you, that I may grow strong in your grace. Amen.
Insight from Rev. Steven Blair
Rev. Steven Blair is the Congregational Care pastor of Live Forward and Live Well Emotional Wellness Ministry. www.cor.org/liveforward
Healing, and hearts that refuse it.
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
Luke 13:10 He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day. 11 Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bent over, and could in no way straighten herself up. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” 13 He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight, and glorified God.
14 The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, “There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!”
15 Therefore the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath, and lead him away to water? 16 Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”
17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed, and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
18 He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and put in his own garden. It grew, and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.”
20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom? 21 It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures[a] of flour, until it was all leavened.”
22 He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem. 23 One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?”
He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets, in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside. 29 They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom. 30 Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”
31 On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here, and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission. 33 Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.’
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused! 35 Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[b]
Footnotes:
a. Luke 13:21 literally, three sata. 3 sata is about 39 liters or a bit more than a bushel
b. Luke 13:35 Psalm 118:26
God will not save you because of your power … or against your power.
The writer of the Gospel (Luke) and the compiler of our GPS devotional (Darrell) cleverly piece these stories together.  In today’s GPS, there is a crippled woman who reaches out to Jesus and finds healing.  This story is contrasted with Jesus’ lament over people who did not reach out.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Luke 13:34
It is good to pause and observe two important parts of this last Scripture.  First, Jesus described God as a motherly hen.  Our God is compassionate and wants to care for you as a mother hen care for her chicks.  (As an aside from the rest of this GPS, I suggest this metaphor for God to anyone who has their reasons why viewing God as ‘Father’ may make it difficult to pray.)   Second, God wants you care for us, but “[some] are not willing.”
God will not save you because of your power… or against your power.
God is not a tyrant, which means that God will not do evil to us AND that God will not use evil means to get us to receive care.   God will not take away our freedom and make us love God in return.  God does not force us to receive good, life-healing medicine for our lives.
Many times, we miss God’s good care for our lives because we are not willing to receive it. You can hear Jesus’ lament.  His words are not quiet words.  You can hear the pain.  Jesus “longs” for something that he cannot have: us under his wing.  He cannot force it to happen.   We must be willing.
Are you willing for God to gather you in like a hen gathers her chicks?
Let us be like the woman who was hunched over in Luke 13 and reach out for help.  Let us be like the chicks who find safety in being close to Jesus and accept his cover.   If you are looking to nestle up to Jesus today, I invite you to pray these words.
Jesus, I need your care.  Help me to see how the shadow of your wing is exactly where you long I would be.  I realize that I have to be willing to be cared for in order to be cared for.  Help me to trust.    In your name I pray, Amen.
Remember, God will not save you because of your power… or against your power.
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