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Category Archives: Luke

Luke 19:11-27

19 Nov

11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ 14 But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’

15 “After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. 16 The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’

17 “‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’

18 “The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’

19 “‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’

20 “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. 21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’

22 “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, 23 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

24 “Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’

25 “‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’

26 “‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 27 And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’”

Luke 19:11-27

Dear God, I learned just a few years ago that Jesus is actually comparing his own kingdom (your kingdom) to the new young King Herod. The local crowd would have known how young King Herod went to Rome to request his father’s throne after he died and how locals went to implore Rome to not give it to him. And how he killed the locals who spoke out against him when he got back. So it was an interesting move for Jesus to say, “Yeah, I’m not too dissimilar than Herod.” It’s weird for me to even type those words.

It makes me think of the line I happen to vaguely remember from The Chronicles of Narnia describing Aslan when Lucy asks if he’s safe: “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver.” Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” Mr. Tumnus also says, “He’s wild, you know. Not a tame lion.” (Copied from Sally Clarkson’s blog) Jesus will not fit into the box I want him to fit into, and that’s a good thing. There is nothing in life that is safe. It’s not meant to be. And Jesus can’t be just a pushover God who gives everything and demands nothing. That doesn’t work. That’s the kind of God I’d love to have. But it makes no sense to have a God like that. It makes no sense for you to be that way. I’m impressed that Jesus made it clear through this parable that kings have a natural responsibility to demand things. They can be good and still not be safe.

Father, help me to completely embrace the idea of the hard things you call me to. You have called me to be accountable and a steward over resources in my personal and professional lives. Help me to do that well. I don’t know to what extent I should be good but not safe. I’m not a king, but I am in a position of leadership. And I tend to steer into safe–perhaps too much. Help me to find that line. This is a challenging word for me this morning. It’s probably something I need to stew on the rest of the day. Am I being the steward you need me to be over the resources you’ve given me, and am I too preoccupied with being safe for those who work under me? Explicitly guide me in this for your glory’s sake and for the sake of your kingdom coming and your will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 19, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 19:1-10

18 Nov

19 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Luke 19:1-10

Dear God, I had some thoughts as I read this passage this morning.

First, they have a newly-healed blind man in tow. He is part of the entourage as Jesus entered Jericho. Did he go to Zacchaeus’s house too?

Second, putting this in political terms, there were red (or blue) people following Jesus into Jericho and then they saw him express interest in a blue (or red) person. How dare he? Doesn’t Jesus know that guy’s awful? He steals and cheats!

Third, Jesus was about the repentance of each heart. In this case, his mere presence convicted Zacchaeus about his wrongdoing. And Jesus blessed his repentance: “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

If I am to be Christlike, there are certain things I must do. First, I must search my own heart and repent. For my selfishness. For my judgment of others. Second, I need to love others regardless of who they are or what they do. And third, I need to offer your salvation to those around me. Jesus’s reconciliation between us and you, Father.

Father, it’s a big day for my place of work today. I pray that I might be more about loving others than worrying about my own needs. I trust you will take care of me and the needs I have. My prayer is that I (and the place I work) will be a blessing to everyone who comes into contact with us, whether they be a client, volunteer, employee, vendor, donor, or even a potential employee. Help my heart to be focused on you and focused on others. Then I’ll just trust you to do what needs done.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 18:35-43

17 Nov

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus the Nazarene[f] was going by. 38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”

42 And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.

Luke 18:35-43

Dear God, I’ve read this story many times over the years (decades), but for some reason I am honing in on the man’s cry, “Have mercy (pity) on me.” I was in that mode a couple of weeks ago. I really needed some intervention and healing. Not even necessarily my own healing, but in people I know. I was desperate. I was getting other people involved. I was getting others to pray. I was praying. I even fasted for a period of time. I was desperate. And yet, my desperation was probably nothing like that of this many who was living a marginalized life 2,000 years ago in a society that probably didn’t do much to accommodate him and help him live an actualized life, but probably either blamed him or his parents for his condition (John 9:2 – 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”) Was the mercy he cried for just healing, or was he looking for forgiveness of his sins too? Did he blame himself or his own parents for his condition?

Oh, that’s an interesting thought. Had this man’s blindness come between him and his parents? Was he born blind? I would think that, for their society, if someone was born blind then you couldn’t blame the baby for the sin so the blame would naturally fall on the parents. Did he blame his parents too?

Father, once again, mercy comes in and cuts out all the knots in the fishing lines of our lives. I need your mercy. I need the mercy of others in my life. There are people who hold things against me. I need mercy from them. And I need to give mercy. Help me to know what to ask when you or someone else stops and asks me, “What do you want me to do for you?” I want you to heal me. Heal me from my self-inflicted wounds and the wounds done to me by others. Heal me. Love me. And pass all of that through me so that you might give others love and mercy through my life.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 17:20-37

14 Nov

20 One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”

Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. 21 You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”

22 Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won’t see it. 23 People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes. 25 But first the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected by this generation.

26 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 27 In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 “And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— 29 until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home. 32 Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! 33 If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. 34 That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.”

37 “Where will this happen, Lord?” the disciples asked.

Jesus replied, “Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.”

Luke 17:20-37

Dear God, Luke had choices about which of the Jesus stories to share. I wonder why he chose this one. Was it simply because Jesus predicted his own death and resurrection as part of it? I always find “last day(s)” and “Jesus’s second coming” stories interesting because I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with them. All I know to do is to be faithful.

I just had a thought. What would it be like if there were no mentions of Jesus coming again, a new earth, or even us going to meet Jesus in the clouds when he returns? If the New Testament was totally vacant of all of these stories, would there be any real accountability before you. Does just the knowledge that the master will return, we will meet face-to-face in some fashion, and we will be judged tether us to your reality in a way we wouldn’t be otherwise? I don’t enjoy thinking about this, but does the fact that basic knowledge of it is a piece of my foundation give my faith a strength I wouldn’t have if it were gone?

Father, I get to be faithful to you today. It’s a “get to” and not a “have to.” I get to worship you. I get to love others. I get to work. Help me, Lord, today. Help me to love the people who will come into my path. Help me to work as unto you. Help me to keep myself pure. Holy Spirit, guide me, comfort me, teach me, love through me, and show me how to have extreme mercy for wrongs done to me because you have given me so much mercy.

I pray this in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 14, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 17:11-19

12 Nov

11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed [saved] you.”

Luke 17:11-19

Dear God, I think I want to spend some time with the other nine. What we call how they responded to their healing? Maybe the exuberance of ingratitude? They were just so excited, they were probably running to the priests. They were probably thinking about seeing their families and friends who had been estranged from them. Maybe even a wife and children. My wife and I used to have this saying after either of us had been sick and then were feeling better: “It just feels so good to feel good again!” Well, these men were not only feeling bad, but they had been abandoned and isolated. Their exuberance in their healing accidentally led to ingratitude.

Since I’m not Disney Princess (see this link for explanation), I can recognize myself in the nine ungrateful but healed lepers. Probably my biggest one is that I am ungrateful for food. I’ll pray before a meal when I’m with someone else, but I almost never do it alone. And when I’m praying, a lot of times I forget to thank you for the food. I’ve lived in a place of excess when it comes to food my entire life. I’ve never wanted for food. And I’ve never wanted for enough money to go and buy the food I need in a store that 99.9% of the time had all of the food I would need readily available (the other .9% was Covid). Never. It’s almost shameful how I’ve never wanted for food. Am I grateful to you for the food and the money to buy it? I try to be, but the truth is that I’m arrogantly ungrateful.

The nonprofit where I work experiences great success with fundraising. We are in a capital campaign right now, and we’ve almost raised the entire goal, over 70% of which came from two foundations, two bequests, and a COVID-related payroll tax program from the government. Am I really grateful to you for this?

But let’s get more personal. My wife. My wife is amazing. She is kind, generous, smart, thoughtful, loving, faithful in her worship of you, and an overall “great hang.” I enjoy her so much. And she and I are both remarkably healthy, not having to even take any prescription medications well into our 50s. Am I grateful for this? Do I really thank you for these things? I see the pains in my life, and I lament them (and they are lamentable), but they could be so much worse. I see people facing much more difficult situations that I am. Do I thank you for the good you have done for me and those I love, and do I pray enough for those who have difficult situations? Does my gratitude for my situation drive me into deeper prayer for others who are not as fortunate, or do I callously go through my day?

Father, the truth is that I should probably spend every moment of my day in thankful prayer to you. There is no way I can thank you enough! You know the challenges I have in front of me. Help me to face them with the love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control you are growing in me through my worship of you. Give me what you need me to have to love you. And I pray for others who are struggling. I’m running some of their names through my head right now. Love them. Provide for them. Comfort them. Show me how to love them. There is pain in this world. Make this pain count. Don’t let it be wasted. And use me and the place I work as an instrument of your peace.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 12, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 17:7-10

11 Nov

7 “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? 8 No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ 9 And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. 10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”

Luke 17:7-10

Dear God, some of what Jesus says seems so contradictory. At times it seems like he is talking about servant leadership, the last shall be first, etc. Then at other times he looks at them and says something like this.

As I think about it, what I’m seeing is that all of us, whatever position of leadership we are in, need to be humble and have a servant’s heart. If we are a leader, we are there to be the best we can be for those who follow us. If we are servants, we are to do our best to make our leader/boss/master look good. Never, in any event, is it about us. It’s always about us worshipping you and loving them.

We are having a volunteer appreciation dinner tonight, and we will have both staff and volunteers there. I was thinking about it this morning and stressing over the evening, some of the logistics, etc., when I felt you remind me, “Just love them.” And that’s it. Love them. Love all of them. It was almost 20 years ago the first time I came to this organization’s volunteer appreciation dinner. I hadn’t even started working for the organization at the time. But it was the night I met a lot of people who would become precious to me. Many of them have passed away now, but a lot of them are still living and a few will even be there tonight.

Father, give me a heart of celebration today. Yes, there are problems around me, but I want to consider it all joy. Each moment and its problems are just the next moment. Help me to move through these collective moments. Guide me with your Holy Spirit. I worship you. I praise you. Help me to take the love you have for me and spread it to those around me. And make the path before me, that seems very complicated, straight.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 11, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 16:1-18

08 Nov

16 Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. 2 So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

3 “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. 4 Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’

5 “So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ 6 The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’

7 “‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’

8 “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. 9 Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12 And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

13 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

14 The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. 15 Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.

16 “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.[d] 17 But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.

18 “For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

Luke 16:1-18

Dear God, I’ve always struggled with this story. If it hadn’t been the gospel reading for today I would never have picked it. But one of the nice things about a reading plan is that it will sometimes take me through a difficult passage whether I like it or not.

After I read it again this morning, I immediately went and grabbed my biblical commentary on it. In this case, It’s The Communicator’s Commentary: Luke by Bruce Larson. I’m just going to completely copy the two paragraphs he takes to explain this passage’s meaning:

Jesus tells two parables about money. The first one deals with the purpose of money. Some have said that this story of the unrighteous steward is the most difficult of all the parables. Incompetence and dishonesty seem to be rewarded. That’s not the message of this parable. In verse 9, Jesus talks about “unrighteous mammon.” Unrighteous mammon was interest money, profit from usury. The Jews were forbidden to lend money at interest, but they got around this by lending out commodities, oil, corn, or wheat, and charging interest. Since you could dilute the oil, the interest on that was 100 percent. On wheat, interest was perhaps 20 percent. This man, through his steward, was charging his neighbors interest, and this illegal interest was the unrighteous mammon to which Jesus refers.

When the steward finds that he is going to be fired, he tells all those who owe his master money to forget about the interest. They can return just exactly what they borrowed and no more. He bought friends and favor for the future when he would be unemployed. Not dumb! He was not punished for this because by doing it he bought favor for the master as well. The steward’s dishonesty made his master look pious. It’s an interesting story. George Buttrick has said, “This rogue acted with foresight.” He bought friends with money. Jesus is suggesting we act with the same kind of foresight and use our money for that which is lasting.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard the perspective that the owner was the one who was unscrupulous because he was charging interest. That’s an interesting perspective. It’s still a hard story for me, but I guess I just like this idea of being shrewd and, as Larson puts it in the last sentence, act[ing] with the same kind of foresight and use our money for that which is lasting.

Father, I have a difficult path ahead of me. You know exactly what the path is. I’m figuring it out one step at a time, and sometimes I’m making missteps as I walk it. My prayer to you is that you will reveal it to me clearly at each step. I don’t need to know the whole path. I’m willing to wait on you and your timing. But I need to see that next step and I need the courage to take that step. I need to be shrewd, but not so that I can get the advantage. I want every person involved in this to get the advantage. I want every person involved in this difficult situation to emerge from it in better shape than they are now, and if that means it costs me something then so be it. Help me to find that path, and help them path bring every person involved closer to you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 8, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 13:10-21

27 Oct

10 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11 he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13 Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!

14 But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week for working,” he said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.”

15 But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? 16 This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?”

17 This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.

18 Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? 19 It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.”

20 He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? 21 It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

Luke 13:10-21

Dear God, these last two parables about the mustard seed and the yeast are interesting to consider when they are accompanied with the Sabbath healing story before them. And, for Luke, they are part of the same story. Luke makes it seem like Jesus said these words right after he challenged the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. So who is the mustard seed? Who is the yeast? I think it’s Jesus. I think he’s the one growing into a tree for us. I think he is the yeast in our lives and then in the world. And he was right. His life became Christianity, which I think is the largest religion in the world.

Okay, I just looked it up. Apparently, Christianity is 2.4 billion people and Islam is 1.9 billion. It said Judaism is only 15 million, so we will consider that as part of the rounding error for Christianity and say that 4.3 billion people about of the earth’s 7-ish billion people trace their faith back to Abraham. That seems very “yeast-y” of you. Maybe there’s something to this Yahweh. Maybe you’re really there, growing in us. Sometimes unhealthily. Sometimes we taint you, misrepresent you, and even pervert what you’re trying to do in us with our own selfishness and insecurities. We are very flawed, after all. But when you are doing your thing in us and we are doing the simple thing of loving you and loving others, it’s remarkable.

Going back to the things I get frustrated with people over, I hope the things that frustrate me are the things that frustrate you. I hope we are aligned in that way. I know you got frustrated and continue to get frustrated (even with me), so I think it’s okay for me to be frustrated. I just need to be frustrated by injustice, lack of mercy, unkindness, and meanness. If I start allowing myself to get frustrated because someone isn’t following a legalistic rule I think they should then I just need to pray for them that they will work it out with the Holy Spirit. I guess I just need your discernment at any given time.

Father, I adore you. I lay my life before you. How I love you. Jesus, I adore you. I lay my life before you. How I love you. Spirit, I adore you. I lay my life before you. How I love you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 27, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 12:35-38

21 Oct

35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

Luke 12:35-38

Dear God, what does it look like to be ready? Am I ready? How do I get myself ready?

The first word that comes to mind is perseverance. I once heard Gary Thomas say during a Sacred Marriage presentation that one of the keys to anything in the Christian life is perseverance. He said that he never hears sermons on it, but it’s critical.

So what does perseverance look like in a life well-lived? First, starting with the spiritual aspect of my life, it means disciplining myself to find this time with you. It also means doing the other things I determined were the least I need to do each day/week to live a life that is complete in you.

  • Do my prayer journals each day
  • Give at least 10% of our income
  • Listen to outside Bible teaching at least once a week
  • Spend quality time with my wife every day
  • Stay sexually pure
  • Volunteer and serve others outside of my job
  • Stay in touch weekly with my male friends
  • Exercise at least four times a week
  • Serve my wife

Coming up with that list almost 14 months ago has been a great thing for me. It has really helped me to be accountable to you on the things I must persevere through in order to be “ready” for your return or when I meet you through death. The only way I will die at peace is not through accomplishing things, but through having persevered in doing at least these minimum things plus the other joys you have put into my life that add on to them like teaching/writing, being part of a church community, listening to Christian music/podcasts, etc.

Father, I have some work to do this morning that combines a “have to” (volunteering) and a “get to” (teaching). I need to finish preparing my lesson for the Christian Men’s Life Skills class tonight. Be with me as I finish this process. Plant seeds through me. Prepare the hearts of the men to hear your word, take it, and let it grow in their hearts. Give me one word that might bless someone there tonight. And do what you need to do in me as well. And I pray for my co-teachers for tonight, my coworkers today, and how I interact with all of them. Be powerful. Be loving. Be merciful. In me. To me. Through me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 21, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 12:13-21

20 Oct

13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Luke 12:13-21

Dear God, I’ve been stewing on something I read on Facebook yesterday. Yes, I got on Facebook and I regret it. But it’s interesting. This man was showing a picture of himself protesting against the “No Kings” protestors in our town and, of course, it got a lot of responses. The comment that caught my eye was the man’s answer to a question about one of the flags he was carrying. He said, “It is the Crusader flag. To me it represents militant Christianity.” I was kind of taken aback and surprised no one had commented on the phrase “militant Christianity.” I don’t want to get into a public debate with this man, but I’m considering private-messaging him and asking him to unpack those two words for me a little. To me it’s not that far off from the parable Jesus describes here of accumulating possessions for yourself. The person in the parable is making his possessions fulfill his need for certainty. If certainty is the idol then the possessions are a representation of his idol. I think the same can be said for political power and influence. If my certainty is bending the will of others so they will make decisions that make me feel safer then controlling them becomes my idol. And how do I do that? Through “militant Christianity” I suppose.

But here I am. I’m just a guy who loves you. And while I want to convince people that a life lived for you is the best way to go, I want to do it for their sake and not mine. And so if they don’t follow what I want, I can still love them and wait for the opportunity to once again invite them through the narrow gate. And if the whole world ultimately turns against me and I have nothing left then so be it. My job today is to worship you as best as I can, with everything I have, and then love everyone in my path. To offer mercy and be a peacemaker. To comfort the mourning and bless the poor in spirit. To accept any persecution on your account that comes my way. To raise the standard on myself and not just accept the 10 commandments, but look to see what they represent in my heart and go to that level with them. To trust you for what I need. To pray well. To intentionally choose to walk through the narrow gate. This is who I want to be today.

Father, help me today. You know some of the prayer requests on my heart. I have a couple of things that have burdened me all weekend, and I need you to intervene. I need you to guide my conversations. I need your help to live up to the ideal I just prayed in the last paragraph. Be with me, sweet Jesus. Be with me, Holy Spirit. Be with me, Father God.

I pray this in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 20, 2025 in Luke

 
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