Monday, March 20, 2023
As a church, we are reading through the book of Luke in the weeks leading up to Easter. If you haven't signed up yet, text Luke to 419-419-0707. The LivingItOut devotions will be elaborating on one aspect of the Luke reading for that day.
My dad calls our family the “Snyder Circus.” We have fun together, like when we walk to get ice cream sundaes and dole whip. We fight over silly things like who gets the Sunday funnies first. We have “counseling” sessions on the front porch, where we share our big feelings. We tell jokes, make weird noises, fall asleep during movies, and decorate welcome home banners. We love each other in our crazy, loud, wonderful, imperfect Snyder way.
Jesus was traveling from town to town with his disciples and followers, performing miracles and telling parables. A large crowd surrounded Jesus, anxious to see and hear everything.
Luke 8:19-21
19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.” 21 Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”
Jesus was renowned for spending time with the unwanted, like the tax collector Matthew and the Samaritan woman who had many husbands, both of whom helped share the Good News with the world. The beginning of Luke 8 lists a group of women who followed Jesus by name, a rare occurrence in ancient manuscripts. At the end of the chapter, Jesus calls a woman who believes in his power, “daughter,” and a little girl he brings back from the dead, “my child.” These are the people he welcomes into his family, because they were willing to trust him, to hear his word and listen.
I love my family. We are crazy, messy, and far from perfect, but our circus is an incredible gift. However, there is an even greater gift—the ability to call the God who created the earth, the Lord of the universe—my father. My family is not going to get it right every time, but God has the perfect plan. He is the Father we are waiting for, the one who never forgets or ignores. He welcomes you and me into the best family ever.
All we need to do is trust.
Questions:
How can you trust God today? Who can you tell about God’s amazing family?
What other truths did you find in Luke 8, about God and his purpose for you?
Next Steps:
If you haven’t made the decision to trust Jesus, ask to be a part of his family. It is the best decision you will ever make!
Spend some time today with other people in the family of Christ, and celebrate the ways he uses you to make a difference and share his love. Then share with someone else how knowing Jesus changes everything.
Prayer:
Father, I am so blessed to be in your family. Help me to welcome others, no matter their differences or past, because you have done the same for me. Let me keep coming back to you; keep filling me with trust. You love me so much. I love you, too. Amen.