Luke 8:16-25 | Lamentations 3:21-24
One of the central aspects of Jesus is his unwavering confidence in God’s word. He’s not a brute about it, but he sure is focused on its centrality and assurance. (Of course we understand God’s Word to be Christ himself, but for the moment, think of God’s word as God’s message to and for the world.)
Jesus is not afraid of it and putting all focus on it. There’s no reason to cover it up or conceal it. Ever.
He’ll put anything up against it. Including his earthly family.
His confidence in it is capable of both sleeping through and calming storms.
Want more faith? Put confidence in God’s message to and for the world. (Not simply God, but God’s message of hope for the world.) Do you believe that God’s message is the hope of the world? Run with it. It’s not about philosophizing more, reasoning more, or explaining more, though each of these have their place. It’s about putting our confidence in the hope that God’s message, God’s way, God’s being is the salvation of all things.
Luke 8:16-25
“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand so that those who enter can see the light. Nothing is hidden that won’t be exposed. Nor is anything concealed that won’t be made known and brought to the light. Therefore, listen carefully. Those who have will receive more, but as for those who don’t have, even what they seem to have will be taken away from them.”
Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him but were unable to reach him because of the crowd. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who listen to God’s word and do it.”
One day Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat. He said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail.
While they were sailing, he fell asleep. Gale-force winds swept down on the lake. The boat was filling up with water and they were in danger. So they went and woke Jesus, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” But he got up and gave orders to the wind and the violent waves. The storm died down and it was calm.
He said to his disciples, “Where is your faith?”
Filled with awe and wonder, they said to each other, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!”
Lamentations 3:21-24
I call all this to mind—therefore, I will wait.
Certainly the faithful love of the Lord hasn’t ended; certainly God’s compassion isn’t through!
They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
I think: The Lord is my portion! Therefore, I’ll wait for him.
Prayer
God,
You’ve given me so many reasons to trust you. I’m just forgetful.
You’ve shown me depths as vast as the ocean and beauty as wide as the horizon. But the minutiae of my own life and thinking has a way of blinding me from your greater work. Which, if I were you, would be frustrating, because you’ve also shown me great love in the particulars of my own life.
So help me, God: Give me vision for your work both near and wide. Remind me of your great love in all that I see. Restore in me confidence in hope.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.
Thank you Jeremy.