Contrast

Mark 10:32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid.

The contrasting reaction to events leading up to this verse stood out to me as I read this.  Those around Jesus, His disciples and those who were following out of interest and/or curiosity, reacted so differently to seeing and hearing the exact same things.  My mind immediately went to what I see in my own lifetime – the contrasts of response to God’s principles of living found in Scripture.  Things that I find amazing, astonishing, or invigorating are the source of fear and anger and mockery by those who do not believe.  What I find encouraging and empowering, spiritual nay-sayers find limiting and backward.  I am learning to understand that the reason is based in the contrast of our relationship to Jesus, just as it was in this verse in Mark.  I am a committed disciple whereas the unbelievers around me are followers, interested from a distance, so their interpretation of what they see and hear will be skewed.

As I go

Luke 17:14b, 19 And as they went, they were cleansed. … Rise and go, your faith has made you well.

It has always struck me a quite significant that the lepers were healed as they went.  They evidently were not healed while they stood there in front of Jesus, talking to Him, asking Him to heal them.  It was when they started down the road to obey Jesus’ command to show themselves to the priest that the healing actually took place.  When they took that first step, they still had leprosy!  But as they continued down the road (in faith) their healing took place.  This is a valuable lesson/example for me all these years later.  This was written for my edification, for my learning, so I know that God wants me to just go, just act upon what I know He can do, even if I don not see the final result at the very start.  Sometimes He may want to do the miracle I am looking for after I begin to obey Him in whatever it is that He is leading me into.  I cannot afford, spiritually, to wait to see what the end result of my obedience will be.  I just need to start out on my path of obedience and see what God will do as I go.

Cause for celebration

Luke 15:10 … there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Scripture tells us that the angels marvel over what God has done out of love and mercy for man.  They cannot understand in the same way as we, as sinful people, understand, but here we are told that they celebrate our repentance.  It is really special to know that when I, as a six-year-old child accepted Christ, the angels in heaven celebrated!  I was important enough to cause that celebration!  It has been said that if I were the only sinner on earth, Jesus still would have been willing to die for me and the fact that the angels celebrate over just one repentance confirms that for me.  It is invigorating spiritually to know how important my salvation is to God, to Jesus, and to the angels.  The angels are so focused on glorifying God that what I do in response to Him is pleasing to all of heaven and is cause for celebration.

Be dressed and ready

Luke 12:35 Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.

This is a picture of readiness for whatever may come or whatever may happen.  There is a sense here that if I am ready, then I won’t have to stop and think how to respond when a call comes for service.  When I am confronted by a need I will be able to respond favorably because I am dressed and have my lamp already burning.  Being dressed is my picture of personal preparation; having a personal relationship with God means I am clothed with the garment of salvation and the shoes of the gospel of peace.  Having my lamp burning means I am able to see where and how to walk because the light of the Word is lighting my path.  With my clothing and my lamp already both in place, then I am automatically ready for service.

Full of joy

Luke 10:21 Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.  Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”

This prayer of Jesus makes me feel “weepy” as I consider the delight He had in His spirit over watching His disciples and listening to their excited accounts of how God had blessed their ministries as they had gone out two-by-two.  He was full of joy, this verse says, and I see a couple sources of that joy:

            1. He had joy because the disciples were so excited over their ministry;

            2. He had joy because God had been willing to use such simple men for His purposes;

            3. He had joy because the disciples had grown so much in their knowledge and understanding of spiritual things.

This encourages me because I can picture His joy over me when I grow spiritually as well.

He knows my name and uses it!

John 10:3b-4 He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

I see two wonderfully encouraging things in these verses that give me courage for the day ahead, so full of unknowns.  First of all, God knows my name and leads me by name.  My leading from God is personalized for me as an individual.  He knows my name!  Then, because I am known by Him, He leads me.  Secondly, I know Him by His voice.  Because He has called me by name, I recognize His voice and am able to follow Him.  When I am lagging behind, He calls my name so I can catch up.  When I get distracted He calls my name so I can get refocused.  When I become afraid, He calls my name and when I hear His voice I am comforted that He is near-by and is leading me because I am one of His own.

Who gets the praise?

John 8:54 If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.  My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

Although I must admit I have struggled to truly understand this verse, I do see a basic principle of life here that is good for me to be reminded of regularly.  It is always better for another other than yourself praise you, and Jesus even used this principle on Himself.  If we let God be the One Who brings praise to us through another person, then we can allow ourselves to be praised because then the glory is God’s and not ours alone.  When we can accept praise from others in the spirit of humility, then receiving that praise will be “safe” for us.  To accept praise in any other spirit will destroy its good effects by drawing people’s attention away from God.