Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Foundry Publishing of The Global Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Thursday, 22 November 2018 "Staying Loyal" by Mary Egidio RG112218 Luke 9:51-62
Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up into heaven, he made his decision to set out for Yerushalayim. 52 He sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village in Shomron to make preparations for him. 53 However, the people there would not let him stay, because his destination was Yerushalayim. 54 When the talmidim Ya‘akov and Yochanan saw this, they said, “Sir, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?”[Luke 9:54 2 Kings 1:9–16] 55 But he turned and rebuked them.[Luke 9:55 Some manuscripts have verses 9:55b–56a: . . . and he said, “You don’t know what Spirit you are of; 56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy people’s lives, but to save.”] 56 And they went on to another village.
57 As they were traveling on the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Yeshua answered him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds flying about have nests, but the Son of Man has no home of his own.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me!” but the man replied, “Sir, first let me go away and bury my father.” 60 Yeshua said, “Let the dead bury their own dead; you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God!” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, sir, but first let me say good-by to the people at home.” 62 To him Yeshua said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit to serve in the Kingdom of God.” (Complete Jewish Bible).Someone has said, “Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you.”
I can assure you that some days that I Do not “feel” like being married. My relationship with my husband certainly isn’t the dreamy, starry-eyed romance that it was on our wedding day thirty-eight years ago. But on that day, they made a commitment to each other. When we said “I do” to each other; we said “I don’t” to every other man and woman in our lives. Our wedding vows were a commitment to a new beginning point, sharing good and bad, no matter how unromantic those times may feel.
When Jesus asked His disciples for total commitment, He meant much the same level of devotion. They were to leave their old lives behind and make a new beginning—to walk with Him—no matter the circumstances or mood. He was asking them to give everything.
What is your commitment level today? Are you holding back or are you all in?
Hymn for Today: "At the Name of Jesus" by Caroline M. Noel.
1. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess him King of glory now;
'tis the Father's pleasure we should call him Lord,
who from the beginning was the mighty Word.
2. At his voice creation sprang at once to sight:
all the angel faces, all the hosts of light,
thrones and dominations, stars upon their way,
all the heavenly orders in their great array.
3. Humbled for a season, to receive a name
from the lips of sinners, unto whom he came;
faithfully he bore it spotless to the last,
brought it back victorious when from death he passed;
4. bore it up triumphant, with its human light,
through all ranks of creatures, to the central height,
to the throne of Godhead, to the Father's breast,
filled it with the glory of that perfect rest.
5. In your hearts enthrone him; there let him subdue
all that is not holy, all that is not true.
Look to him, your Savior, in temptations' hour;
let his will enfold you in its light and power.
6. Christians, this Lord Jesus shall return again,
with his Father's glory o'er the earth to reign;
for all wreaths of empire meet upon his brow,
and our hearts confess him King of glory now.
Thought for Today: “Whoever acknowledges me in the presence of others I will also acknowledge in the presence of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:32).
Please pray: For the compassionate ministries among the poor and in disaster areas of Mesoamerica.
***
No comments:
Post a Comment