Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Life Journeys (Genesis 23; Genesis 24; Luke 9)
Scripture: Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Luke 9:58)
Observation: The first thing that caught my attention was the nose ring given to Rebekah. May no be proper in some churches today, but that was a pre-engagement gift to one of the mothers of Jesus. But what I was really struck was the theme of journeys. Sarah’s death and the negotiation for a burial plot for her and her descendents, the servants journey to find Rebekah, the journey out of the disciples to do missions work, the journey of years that led to Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, Jesus statement that he had no home. There was an anthem that I sang in a choir many years ago, “The Journey is Our Home”. We may want to settle down, but I think that the following Christ is more of a journey than a homestead.
Application: If the journey is my home, am I getting too comfortable, to self-satisfied? There was a time when I would have gone anywhere at a moments notice. I need to be willing to go, not foolishly, but with abandon as the Lord leads. I suspect that the biggest need is not for external movement, but a will that’s willing to be led more into conformity to Christ’s will.
Prayer: Lord, there are ways in which I want to stop growing. I want to direct others to grow closer to you and at the same time stay lazy. Help me to be willing to follow you in the journey ahead. You are gracious and have allowed me to say no in the past and still loved me. Lord I want to become who you want me to be; help me to be willing to walk another path with you that will lead to deeper discipleship.
