(Click here to read the passage) Oftentimes, timing is important. In this passage, Jesus waits for John’s disciples to leave before asking some important questions. I find that very interesting. John’s disciples needed encouragement, lifting up, enthusiasm. What Jesus had to say next would likely not have that effect on them. So, Jesus waited. His […]
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Looking Down or Looking Up (Luke 7:36-39)
(Click here to read the passage) There are people with whom we like to associate. There are others we try to avoid. Sometimes we have no choice in the matter – the “wrong” person shows up and we either try to ignore them, or we might try to accept them for who they are. Jesus’ […]
Doubt and Renewed Faith: Jesus’ Recipe for Renewal (Luke 7:18-23)
(Click here to read the passage) Sometimes, circumstances in our lives are so different from our expectations, we begin to doubt our own beliefs and what we remember. This can happen to the best of us when tragedy strikes or we endure seemingly endless trials. Paul tells us that suffering ultimately produces hope (see Romans […]
God’s Amazing Work in Life and Death (Luke 7:11-17)
(Click here to read the passage) Nain is only mentioned once in the Bible. Jesus spent only a little time there, raising a widow’s son from the dead and causing quite a stir in the town and surrounding countryside. If the archeological guesses are correct, it was a fair-sized town when Jesus entered. Now, it […]
Requesting Help from a Higher Authority (Luke 7:1-10)
(Click here to read the passage) We all seem to have a lot to pray about lately. Safety in a pandemic, mercy during difficult circumstances, provision when we don’t have enough. It’s almost overwhelming at times. We pray for many different reasons. We don’t always think of it this way, but when we pray, we’re […]
The Only Choice (Luke 6:46-49)
(Click here to read the passage) For the first time in hundreds of years, an earthquake struck near our home in the mountains. These are old mountains (the Appalachians), and, according to a seismologist who visited shortly afterward, “are not supposed to move.” When the quake struck, it destroyed homes that had sat in place […]
Tell-Tale Fruit (Luke 6:43-45)
(Click here to read the passage) I love trees. I can sit and stare at the big oak in front of our house for hours, tracing the branches, wondering at its shape, imagining how many leaves it has, and watching the wildlife that abides under its protection. In the fall, I am always taken aback […]