Luke 9:41-43

Luke 9:41-43

Answering, Jesus said, “Oh, faithless generation having been turned away from the right path!  For how long will I be with you and endure you all?  Bring your son here to this place.”  While drawing near, the demon rent him and convulsed him completely.  And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit. He healed the child and gave him to his father.  And all were being astonished at this mighty power of God.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus no doubt feels a combination of sorrow and disappointment for the crowd around Him.  The evidence of our sinfulness is always present.  We cannot live out of our faith in all circumstances.  We can get a sense of Jesus’ frustration here.  I can only imagine what it is like for God to see generation after generation fall to sin.  He knows it will happen; but He also knows that we were created for better than this.  We should live in our walk with Him.  Instead, so often we live in the world and its limited perspective.

Where is your perspective limited by your humanity?  How can you learn to live out of your faith instead of your fallen humanity?

Second Thought:

The demon pts up a final struggle.  When sin takes root in our life, it doesn’t go away easily.  It never goes away without putting up resistance.  It usually comes to a head before being dealt with in a final manner.  As we saw yesterday, this scenario is a great lens through which we can view the struggle against sinfulness that each of us face.

Where have you felt the struggle of sin in your life?  When have you felt that struggle come to a head before dealing with it?

Third Thought:

Jesus heals the boy.  Jesus gives the boy back to his father.  The people are amazed.  It all seems so normal.  But there really is a great element to notice when we hear these words.  Jesus heals the boy and then gives the boy back into the care of his father.  While this seems completely natural – and it is – remember that the boy was under the care of the father when this evil spirit came upon him.  Jesus could have easily condemned the man for not being the guardian that he should have been.  But Jesus brings no such condemnation.  Jesus heals and trusts.  Jesus looks to a sinner and entrusts something that He just made right again.  That’s how God deals with all of us.  We are all sinners.  God places His creation into our hands, whether we deserve it or not.

Where does God trust you?  How does this show God’s compassion?  How does this show God’s forgiveness?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 9:43-45