Pray to God persistently…

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” – Luke 18:1-8

Pray to God humbly without self-righteousness and without the attitude that God owes me or that I am more righteous than someone else…

“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful on me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Luke 18:10-14

Pray to God with a child’s heart…

“Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” – Luke 18:16-17

Pray to God with empty hands…

Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?” – Luke 18:18-26

Pray in faith, knowing that nothing is impossible for God…

He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.” – Luke 18:27-30

Pray…

Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. – Mark 2:19-20

Early on in his ministry, Jesus began talking about his death. The disciples were slow to understand but Jesus was preparing them, little by little, for what was ahead. As time went on, he would give them a little more information about the suffering that was coming.

Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. – Mark 8:31

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.” – Mark 9:2-10

God could have opened up the minds of the disciples and helped them to understand how Scripture was being fulfilled. Jesus could have had a lengthy conversation with His followers, clearly revealing His role and what was about to take place. But sometimes God reveals things a little at a time – all as a part of His larger plan.

“The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. – Mark 9:31b-32

They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. – Mark 10:32a

They did not understand what was about to happen, yet they could feel the enormity of what was coming. They had a choice, yet they continued to follow Jesus. Their love for Jesus Christ and their faith in him was enough to continue moving forward, regardless of their fear or anticipation of the unknown.

“Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.” – Mark 10:33-34

“…Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?…” – Mark 10:38b

“…For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45

There have been many times in my life when I was able to look back and see the evidence of how God was preparing me for my current situation. I did not understand at the time, but later God increased my understanding. Looking back, I can see how various experiences in my life were shaping me into the person I needed to be for God’s plan. I can look back and see how God was revealing, little by little, things I needed to learn for a future purpose.

Because I can look back, as the disciples did, and understand NOW what God was teaching me THEN, I can trust Him with my TODAY knowing that God has a plan for my TOMORROW.

Serve God generously…

Luke chapter 16 spoke strongly of how we should serve God generously with our time, resources and money. In Luke 17, Jesus calls us to serve God faithfully, as a servant would serve his master. To serve God faithfully requires obedient submission to Jesus and His commands. We serve God faithfully, not looking for applause or thanks but simply out of obedience and dedication to our Master.

Serve God faithfully…

“When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of the sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’” – Luke 17:7-10

We know that God blesses His children, but do I serve Him in order to obtain those blessings or am I content in simply knowing that I have obeyed and knowing that my Master is pleased with my faithfulness?

Serve God obediently…

As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master have mercy on us!”

He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. – Luke 17:12-14

Jesus could have touched them and healed them immediately but instead, he gave them a command. Their response was immediate obedience. Before they even completed the task Jesus asked of them, they had received their healing.

Serve God thankfully…

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” – Luke 17:15-19

Serve God for His glory…

When we take the time to thank God for all He is doing for us, we are taking the glory of the good in our lives and giving that glory to God. NO assuming God knows we are thankful. NO wondering if our blessings are circumstantial – God gets the credit. Not a result of my own doing or righteousness, but out of His grace and mercy, God gets the glory!

Serve God patiently waiting for His coming…

Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when the Son of Man returns, but you won’t see it. People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes. But first the Son of Man must suffer terribly and be rejected by this generation.

“And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business – eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building – until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Yes, it will be ‘business as usual right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day a person out on the deck of the roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.” – Luke 17:22-36

Lord, today may you be pleased with our service to You. May you find us generous, faithful, obedient, and thankful. To YOU be the glory for all the good things in our lives yesterday, today and tomorrow. As we patiently wait for your return, we will go about whatever business you daily call us to. We are Your servants and You are our Master. Our eyes are fixed on You. Thank you for Your grace and for Your mercy. We love You, precious Father! Amen.

Then Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order because you are going to be fired.’” – Luke 16:1-2

Have you ever noticed how much time Jesus spends talking about money and the temptations of worldly riches verses building treasures in heaven? Here the lesson is about wasting money – money that does not even belong to us but to our Master. My natural tendency when I read this Scripture is to assume that God is not talking to me; after all, I don’t have that much money to waste. But this morning I know He is talking to me.

When the man realized that he would soon be out of a job and homeless, he decided it was time to make friends – fast! He went around to his customers and one by one reduced the debt they owed to the employer, creating a group of people who were grateful to him. Instead of being angry, the employer admired the shrewdness of the manager.

“And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Luke 16:8b-13

In our society, money = status. In Heaven, it will not. But, how we used the resources God gave us here on earth will certainly impact our eternity. Jesus told this story:

“There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

“But Abraham replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.’” – Luke 16:19-31

Lord, open my ears so that I may hear you today. Show me ways in which I am wasting my money, my time, my resources, my life. May I live each moment directed by YOU, filling my time and using my resources for Heavenly gain and not earthly status or pleasures. Amen.

Count the cost…NO ONE can be more important.

“If you want to be my disciples, you must hate everyone else by comparison – your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:26

Count the cost…NOTHING can be more important.

“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

“Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” –Luke 14:28-33

Count the cost…AM I PREPARED to leave the ninety-nine to rescue the one?

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over nine-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” – Luke 15:4-7

Count the cost…HOW HARD am I willing to search for the lost? Will I go out of my way?

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” – Luke 15:8-10

Count the cost…Will I REJOICE when the lost is found? Will I join Heaven’s celebration or am I too focused on myself to find joy in someone else’s salvation?

To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’” – Luke 15:11-32

So we ask ourselves again, “How much does this cost?” Am I willing to pay that price? Am I all in? Am I prepared for ANYTHING God asks me to do? Is my heart decision following my head decision so that I can rejoice in what God wants to accomplish today?

Our human nature is to think of ourselves first – to provide for our own needs, then care for others out of our excess. Jesus preaches a different kind of lifestyle – commitment to Jesus, thinking of God and how He would want us to care for others before our own concern for ourselves.

Jesus noticed that all who had come to dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” – Luke 14:7-11

Maybe this is where we developed the customary question, “Is this seat taken?” It has become a common courtesy to ask this question before sitting down in a seat. Now, no one likes false humility either so I am guessing that Jesus is not encouraging us to pretend humility but to sincerely humble ourselves, thinking of others first.

Jesus addresses the question of who we are choosing to sit with as well. Do we think of who will make us look good or who will make us feel better about ourselves, or do we ask the question, “Who would you like for me to love on today, Jesus.”

Then he turned to the host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” – Luke 14:12-14

Again, we cannot be focused on what we can gain from someone else but on what someone else can gain from God through us. God wants us responding to His Spirit and ministering to whoever He sends us to, not thinking of ourselves for own gain but seeing ourselves as tools God may want to use in any and every situation. But how often do we make excuses for our own selfishness? How often is our commitment to our own plans stronger than our commitment to God’s plans for us?

Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’

“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’” – Luke 14:16-24

Commitment to God – fully devoted to Him. God calls us to count the cost before making the decision of whether or not to accept His invitation. It will require humility and selflessness – it will require us to be more committed to Him than we are to our own plans. Today is a great day to renew our commitment. God, how would you like to use me today?

A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

“Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” – Luke 14:25-33

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

Focus on self – Martha was distracted by her own efforts to do a good thing but the focus somehow moved from the good thing she was doing to WHO was doing the good thing – herself. Martha’s focus was on the amount of hard work SHE was doing.

Focus on others – Martha then became distracted by the lack of work that her sister was doing. Even though Martha was the one who had invited Jesus into her home, she had expectations on the other people around her. Her focus was on what other people were not doing.

Focus on Jesus – It was not enough that Martha had invited Jesus into her home. It was not enough that Martha was working hard for Jesus. What Jesus desired of Martha was for her to spend time with him – for her to sit at his feet, as Mary was doing, and listen to all he wanted to teach her. Jesus wanted her to sit in his presence and focus on him and, by doing so, build her relationship with him.

Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:13-21

Focus on self – How much can I accumulate? How much can I gain? How comfortable can I make myself? Then he said, “Beware! Guard against ever kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Focus on others – How much more does he have than I have? It’s not fair! He has more than I do! Look what he is doing with his money. This is what I would do if I had that kind of money…

Focus on God – Be rich in God and in your relationship with Him instead of focusing on earthly gain. “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” – Luke 12:21

God, create in me a desire to want more of you and only you. May the luster of earthly treasures lose its shine where my heart is concerned. Create in me a heart that is generous and not greedy. May I be so filled with your Spirit that I only wish well for others. May I be more concerned about sitting at your feet and storing up a rich relationship with you than I am about anyone or anything else around me. May my attention be focused today on you, God, and may that focus show me the needs of others around me so that I can be used by you. Amen.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:9-15

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Matthew 5:7

Mercy is, by definition, forgiveness. Merriam-Webster defines mercy as compassion, especially towards someone who has offended you, or compassionate treatment of someone in distress. If we want to experience mercy in our lives, we need a heart that is merciful toward others.

Not one of us is perfect. We have all sinned and we are all in need of a Savior – of mercy extended beyond what we deserve. It is this mercy that allows us entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and the opportunity to begin experiencing eternal life right here on earth – mercy extended to us because we have a heart that extends mercy toward others.

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” – Luke 10:25-29

The man understood that he was to love God and he knew who God was. That part was easy. But how does Jesus define “neighbor”? The people who live by me? The people I work with? My family and members of my Church? The man was essentially saying to Jesus – define for me “neighbor” so that I can, by process of elimination, understand who is not my “neighbor”.

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.” – Luke 10:31-32

If either of these men who worked in the temple came in contact with a dead body, they would be considered “unclean” and temporarily unable to serve in the Temple and offer sacrifices to God. Helping this man who was so close to death was risking ritual impurity.

Do I help the one if it means I cannot help the masses? How often do we use this as an excuse for not reaching out to someone in need? God, I’m so busy reaching out to those to whom you have called me. You must plan for someone else to help this person in desperate trouble because you have already given me this other call. We excuse ourselves from responding to one person by reminding ourselves of how much good we are doing in the lives of other people. We give ourselves permission to turn our back on one person’s need by focusing on the ministry we prefer. Lord, forgive me. I am so guilty of this.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, “Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” – Luke 10:33-37

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father” (John 10:14-15a).

One of my favorite aspects of my relationship with God is that He knows everything about me. He knows where my thoughts go and what I am struggling with. He knows what I desire and what I fear. He knows how much I have grown and how much more growing I have to do. In fact, He often knows when I need to grow in patience and perseverance more than I need an immediate answer to my prayer. He knows when I need to hear from Him and when I need to see His hand at work. God knows me completely and yet loves me intensely – so powerful is God’s love for me that He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

“So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded” (John 10:15b-18).

Just as we found significance in the timing of what we studied yesterday – that Jesus was speaking to the people during the Festival of Dedication and the significance that had – so we find significance today in where Jesus was standing as He went on to use the same language that can be found in Ezekiel 34:22-23. Consider that Jesus was walking through the section of the Temple known as Solomon’s Colonnade. It was winter and this area was located on the east side and known for providing shelter from winter weather. It was in this protective area that Jesus said the following:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one” (John 10:27-30).

Most likely Peter and John were with Jesus on that day and heard him say these words of comfort and protection while standing in Solomon’s Colonnade. I wonder if His words came back to them a few years later when they stood again in Solomon’s Colonnade.

Peter and John had come across a man lame from birth begging from the people as they were going into the Temple. When he asked Peter and John for money, Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” When the people saw him walking and heard him praising God, they rushed in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John (Acts 3:1-11).

Peter took this opportunity to preach to the people, clarifying that it was faith in the name of Jesus by which this man was healed. He called the people to repentance of their sins and to turn to God, so that their sins may be wiped away (3:19). It was while Peter and John were speaking to the people in Solomon’s Colonnade that the priests, the captain of the Temple guard and some of the Sadducees came and arrested Peter and John and threw them in jail. They commanded them to never again speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one” (John 10:27-30).

The knowledge that Jesus was their Good Shepherd gave Peter and John boldness even in a moment of uncertainty in the future. Instead of choosing fear and caving to pressure, Jesus’ disciples chose to trust in the One who they knew with confidence would protect them. They knew the power of the One to whom they belonged. That knowledge is available to us today also. Let’s rest in the words of the One to whom we belong and sing as the psalmist did:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bring honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
And I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23).

It was the Festival of Dedication (Hanukkah) and Jesus was preaching about how he is the Good Shepherd. I am unfamiliar with the significance of this Festival and so I decided to read through the notes of my study Bible to see if there is a reason that Jesus chose to speak about sheep at this Festival. I mean, out of ALL the things Jesus could have spoken about, why choose sheep? What I found was very interesting and good timing for where I am at in my spiritual journey. Isn’t God wonderful like that?!! He creates in us a desire to know more and then He faithfully guides us into an understanding of the Scripture that helps us take next steps in our faith walk with Him.

The Festival of Dedication commemorates the rededication of the Temple after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV. At this Festival, the priests would do some self-examination, considering their own commitment or dedication to the ministry to which they had been called. They would reflect on Ezekiel 34, so I went back and read Ezekiel 34. In that passage, the Lord was upset with the “shepherds” or leaders of Israel. He accused them of abandoning the flock and taking care of themselves first, leaving the sheep to starve.

God said, “I myself will search and find my sheep…I will find my sheep and rescue them…I will bring them back home…I will feed them…I will give them good pastureland…I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace…I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak…You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” – Ezekiel 34: 11-16,31

Most of us have a ministry of some sort, whether that is a full-time paid job or a volunteer position at Church or at a ministry in town. I have the incredible privilege of working for a ministry – Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center – but I also am blessed to volunteer on a great team of youth leaders at Pekin First Church of the Nazarene. I also get to blog and share my time with Jesus in hopes that what He is teaching me will be what someone else needs to hear. In fact, yesterday was my 500th post – and I still have SO much to learn!

Many of us are also parents who have been given a ministry to our children. How are we caring for the sheep? Are we still putting forth our best effort? Are we concerned about those who are spiritually starving or wandering away? Have we become comfortable and begun to worry more about ourselves then about caring for the sheep? Are we feasting on what God provides without sharing the abundance of God with others? Perhaps today is our Festival of Dedication, a time to examine our service to God. Let’s consider this as we hear what Jesus has to say at this Festival long ago.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice…

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep” (John 10:1-13).

After learning about the Festival of Dedication and after reading through Ezekiel 34, I see this passage differently today. I am the hired hand, given responsibility over some of the sheep by the Good Shepherd. Am I working only for the money or am I working to please the Shepherd? Do I run when things get tough or do I listen for the voice of the Shepherd, realizing that I, too, am under His care? Do I still care about the sheep or is my focus on myself, as it was for the leaders in Ezekiel 34?

God, strengthen my call this morning. Give me a fresh desire to serve you by serving others. Lord, I am listening for your voice, a voice I know so well because you are my Shepherd. What do you want me to do with this day you have given me? Help me to see all of your sheep through your eyes – that I would never abandon this responsibility that you have given me, that none would starve while in my care. Amen.