Monday's Daily devotion from Epiphany
Verse: Luke 4. 24And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. (NRSV)
Devotion: This encounter seems to start off pretty good. Folks in the synagogue actually seemed impressed with “Joseph’s son.” “Wow, listen to this guy! Who’da thunk it?” Other reports aren’t quite so kind. You almost hear the sarcasm in their voices. It was, indeed, an awesome task, preaching to those who “knew him when…”
I think this account affects us more than we know, more than we might like to admit. We never stop having encounters with those who “knew us when…” I think we like to use it as an excuse, an excuse not to talk Jesus with people we know or with people who we think might have “known us when…” Yet these are the exact same people with whom we ought have this conversation. Why, then, are we so hesitant, even unwilling, to talk Jesus, to invite people to get to know him, to bring good news to the poor?
I think we avoid, even fear, rejection. Rejection by a stranger is a never-mind, a shrug of the shoulders but when rejection comes from those who knew us when-that hurts. Or so we think. But, in the end, we need not be afraid for it is not us who are rejected but God. Sometimes, God, who “knew us when…” can really make us uncomfortable.
Dear Lord, we know you call us into relationships and yet we are very shy to do so. Be with us when we go to bring good news to the poor that they, too, might be amazed. Amen
Devotion: This encounter seems to start off pretty good. Folks in the synagogue actually seemed impressed with “Joseph’s son.” “Wow, listen to this guy! Who’da thunk it?” Other reports aren’t quite so kind. You almost hear the sarcasm in their voices. It was, indeed, an awesome task, preaching to those who “knew him when…”
I think this account affects us more than we know, more than we might like to admit. We never stop having encounters with those who “knew us when…” I think we like to use it as an excuse, an excuse not to talk Jesus with people we know or with people who we think might have “known us when…” Yet these are the exact same people with whom we ought have this conversation. Why, then, are we so hesitant, even unwilling, to talk Jesus, to invite people to get to know him, to bring good news to the poor?
I think we avoid, even fear, rejection. Rejection by a stranger is a never-mind, a shrug of the shoulders but when rejection comes from those who knew us when-that hurts. Or so we think. But, in the end, we need not be afraid for it is not us who are rejected but God. Sometimes, God, who “knew us when…” can really make us uncomfortable.
Dear Lord, we know you call us into relationships and yet we are very shy to do so. Be with us when we go to bring good news to the poor that they, too, might be amazed. Amen
posted by John | 7:14 PM
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