Meditation: Luke 13:31 Just at that moment, some P’rushim came up and said to Yeshua, “Get out and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you!” 32 He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Pay attention: today and tomorrow I am driving out demons and healing people, and on the third day I reach my goal.’ 33 Nevertheless, I must keep travelling today, tomorrow and the next day; because it is unthinkable that a prophet should die anywhere but in Yerushalayim.
34 “Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 35 Look! God is abandoning your house to you! I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai!’”[Luke 13:35 Psalm 118:26]
30th Week in Ordinary Time
I accomplish my purpose. (Luke 13:32)Before a building is erected, plans are drawn up. Construction proceeds in an established order so that a sturdy, safe edifice takes form. Similarly, God has plans. He has a plan for your life, your neighbor’s life, and for the life of every human being. In its most general form, that plan involves our cooperating with him in accomplishing his desires, purposes, and goals. He delights in it, actually, for he knows that his plan will proceed according to his intentions—even if we can’t see how at this point.
Jesus trusted in God’s plan. He was secure in what he was about, where he was to go, and what he was to do. It’s possible he didn’t know every detail. He may not have known every step, obstacle, or word in advance, but he knew what God wanted of him, and he stuck to that plan resolutely. He was confident that his Father would protect him—that he would not die outside Jerusalem—and he was unwilling to turn from this plan simply because Herod (or anyone else) tried to scare him away.
Few of us live in that kind of long-range certainty, but we can have some assurance of what God wants for us today. Ask him first thing in the morning, “How do you want me to live today?” Pause for a few moments and give him time to answer. He may give you one word, such as “peace” or “hope.” Or he may bring to mind a relationship that needs a little bit of work. Or he may guide you to think about how you can show compassion to a particular co-worker. Most of the time, the answer will revolve around your daily duties and responsibilities. And so you do them, confident in what you’re about. Ask the Spirit to make you resolute and unwilling to turn aside from his established plan for your life.
But sometimes, God has a surprise agenda. He may send you in a different direction, like calling you to finally talk with that co-worker about your faith. Trust him! Let the Spirit guide and direct you. Whatever it is, write it down and carry it with you so that you can remind yourself as the day moves on. Let God be your strength and protection. Let him be with you in all you say and do today.
“Father, what do you have for me today? Come, Lord, and direct my steps.” Amen!
Romans 8:31 What, then, are we to say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare even his own Son, but gave him up on behalf of us all — is it possible that, having given us his Son, he would not give us everything else too? 33 So who will bring a charge against God’s chosen people? Certainly not God — he is the one who causes them to be considered righteous! 34 Who punishes them? Certainly not the Messiah Yeshua, who died and — more than that — has been raised, is at the right hand of God and is actually pleading on our behalf! 35 Who will separate us from the love of the Messiah? Trouble? Hardship? Persecution? Hunger? Poverty? Danger? War? 36 As the Tanakh puts it,
“For your sake we are being put to death all day long,
we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.”[Romans 8:36 Psalm 44:23(22)]
37 No, in all these things we are superconquerors, through the one who has loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, 39 neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.
Psalm 109:21 But you, God, Adonai,
treat me as your name demands;
rescue me, because your grace is good.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart within me is wounded.
26 Help me, Adonai, my God!
Save me, in keeping with your grace;
27 so that they will know that this comes from your hand,
that you, Adonai, have done it.
30 I will eagerly thank Adonai with my mouth,
I will praise him right there in the crowd,
31 because he stands alongside a needy person
to defend him from unjust accusers.
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