Scripture: Luke 14:34-35 [Jesus said,] “Salt is good. But if salt loses its flavor, how will it become salty again? It has no value, neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. People throw it away. Whoever has ears to hear should pay attention.” Thought for the Day: I might have ears to hear, but I do not understand. That’s definitely the way I used to feel
Prayer for the Week: As we journey closer to Holy Week – the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus – we are mindful of his words: Whoever doesn’t carry their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. You are gracious, God, while also placing high expectations of those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus. Your love knows no boundaries, and there is nothing we
Scripture: Luke 14:1-3 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to share a meal in the home of one of the leaders of the Pharisees, they were watching him closely. A man suffering from an abnormal swelling of the body was there. Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Does the Law allow healing on the Sabbath or not?” Thought for the Day: Did anyone else have a mother or grandmother
Scripture: Luke 13:34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather your people just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you didn’t want that. Thought for the Day: Why are we so offended when someone challenges us or calls us out? The prophets were an indispensable voice throughout Israel’s history.
Scripture: Luke 13:29-30 People will come from east and west, north and south, and sit down to eat in God’s kingdom. Look! Those who are last will be first and those who are first will be last. Thought for the Day: I referenced in yesterday’s devotional this second sentence, but alongside the previous sentence, it is even more powerful. When scripture speaks of people coming from the east
Scripture: Luke 13:22-24 Jesus traveled through cities and villages, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” Jesus said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate. Many, I tell you, will try to enter and won’t be able to…” Thought for the Day: This is another distressing passage. We preach unconditional love and proclaim
Scripture: Luke 13:20-21 Again he said, “To what can I compare God’s kingdom? It’s like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through the whole.” Thought for the Day: Again, there is an invitation for the person in the parable to do something, and then to wait. As I look around the world, I see
Scripture: Luke 13:18-19 Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom like? To what can I compare it? It’s like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a garden. It grew and developed into a tree and the birds in the sky nested in its branches.” Thought for the Day: A parable about a mustard seed. Unlike some of the other Gospels, Luke doesn’t mention the size of
Scripture: Luke 12:13-15 Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed me as judge or referee between you and your brother?” Then Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourself against all kinds of greed. After all, one’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions, even when someone is very wealthy.” Thought for