Reading: Luke 5:1-16

I have been in throngs that wanted something. Talk about people pushing and shoving to make their way toward something! Or pressing and crowding to get in somewhere. Wow!

But I don’t recall ever being in this kind of crowd:

“And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret” (1).

Come to think of it, I don’t think I’m much interested in being in that kind of crowd anyway.

However, I like to think that I am interested in hearing the Word of God. Especially if it is taught with conviction, compassion, and concern. And passion, persuasion, and power. And heart, humility, and h…. (I can’t think of another h word just now!)

I said “like to think” because I don’t normally push myself toward the Word — to read it and meditate on it and draw strength from it.

But the panting hart does.

Even though sometimes I feel as though I’m panting in some sort of wilderness, apparently my own need isn’t driving me enough yet.

Why wait?!

from Luke 5:5

A little bit more from Luke 5: For Whom?

Reading: Luke 4:23-44

One thing that impressed me this morning in this passage is several of the responses to Jesus and His teaching. I’ve selected three to mention.

“No prophet is accepted in his own country” (24).

How nice it would have been had they accepted Him as their “favorite son.” But they didn’t — because He was of them and well-known to them.

Having grown up with Jesus, perhaps there is the danger that He is somehow too familiar to me to impress me as I ought to be impressed. I hope not!

As an aside here, it occurs to me that there’s a man in our church whose acceptance in my eyes has been diminishing because I know him as well as I do. That needs to change!

“And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath” (28).

They didn’t like His message and were so overcome with anger at Him that they set out (unsuccessfully) to kill Him.

I don’t think I’ve ever responded to Jesus that way. Or have I? Such as when I don’t like what one of His human mouthpieces has to say?

“And the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed with him, that he should not depart from them” (42).

These people even looked Him up in the desert and then didn’t want Him to leave them again.

That’s how I want to be. I don’t want Him to leave me. But will I put forth the effort to look Him up?

from Luke 4:40

A little bit more from Luke 4: Still True Today