Today's Reading: Luke 2: 41-52
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Luke 2: 41-52
Bible Study
When we talk about how to become a better disciple of Jesus, we always tell Christians that the best way is to follow how God prepared Jesus to be the best and perfect example of becoming God's servants. Here we can find the earliest example of how God prepared Jesus to be the best and perfect example.
I tried to search for the best translation of verse 49 using NIV, RSV, NRSV, NASB, ASV, CEV, NKJV, Message and N.T. Wright's new translation. I find out the best translation for me to understand this earliest Jesus' example of discipleship is N.T. Wright's new translation in the New Testament for Everyone series that I have been using for this blog and podcast since last March.
For most translation is somewhat like NIV:
"Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
N.T. Wright's translation is:
"Didn't you know that I would have to be getting involved with my father's work?"
True discipleship starts with your willing to be getting involved with your Heavenly Father's work but not your own work or those worldly work. And the involvement starts with the love to stay in God's house, praying, learning, sharing and giving. Today I went to visit a member of our church who are in hospital with two sisters from our church, May Leung and Sandy Wong. Sandy received Jesus last March and was being baptized just two weeks ago. She shared her joyful experience with the lady who is in depression saying, "I love to be in the church so much. When I step inside our church I feel the presence of Jesus and my spirit is being uplifted." That's what happened to Jesus and that's the first step of discipleship development.
What have you got from Jesus today?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Didn't you know that I would have to be getting involved with my Father's work?
What I received today from Jesus is a reality check that you are not deceiving yourself that you are a faithful disciple of Jesus and have an intimate personal relationship with Him.
The fact is that, the more you love Jesus and have an intimate personal relationship with Him, the more you will enjoy to be in your church and the more you will be involved with your heavenly Father's work. The further you are away from Jesus and busy with your own work and worldly busy-ness, the less you will enjoy to be in your church and the less you will be involved with your heavenly Father's work.
May be this is the time for you to pray asking the Holy Spirit to reveal how close you are really with Jesus and what are those areas that Jesus wants you to change?
Come Holy Spirit, shine on us that we can see and know where we are. Lead us to be more and more closer to Jesus that we enjoy being involved in our heavenly Father's work. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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