Today's Reading: Luke 7: 11-17
**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 7: 11-17
Bible Study
Today's passage is an unusual one. Why? Because usually when Jesus healed someone there was faith shown in the miracle. But, there wasn't anybody's faith causing Jesus healing. The only faith shown is Jesus himself!
What we can see in this passage is Jesus' compassion to this tragedy. N.T. Wright says may be Jesus was thinking of in a few year's time similar scene would happen but the widow carrying the dead body was his mother and he would be the dead son. Bishop Wright's imagination may cause us into a deeper thought of what is really happening. Do you believe that Jesus is there when a tragedy happened and he is always compassionate.
N.T. Wright says:
Now go through the scene again; but this time, instead of it being a funeral procession in a small first-century Galilean town, make it the moment you most dread in this next week or next year. Maybe it's something that you know is going to happen, like a traumatic move of house or job. Maybe it's something you are always afraid of, a sudden accident or illness, a tragedy or scandal. Come into the middle of the scene, if you can, in prayer; feel its sorrow and frustration, its bitterness and anger. Then watch as Jesus comes to join you in the middle of it. Take time in prayer and let him approach, speak, touch, command. He may not say what you expect. He may not do what you want. But if his presence comes to be with you there that is what you most need. Once he is in the middle of it all with you, you will be able to come through it.
Do you think you will be able to come through a tragedy in the near future? Are you sure you can come through it? Why?
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: Tragedy! Where's Jesus?!
What I received today from Jesus is a reminder of a scene almost three years ago in the most horrible two months when we did not know whether Michelle was going to die because of leukemia. That day I was helping our younger son Athanasius and his best friend Vance to have daily devotion. For 2 1/2 years I went to Vance home weekly to teach the two of them to have a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus. I still remember Athan shared what he got from Jesus that he wrote down in his spiritual journal. It was something like this:
Dear Jesus, please help me to stand firm when the time comes! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
I was in tears when I heard his sharing and his writing. He thought that his mother was going to die asking Jesus to help him to come through that tragedy when it happened!
This is exactly the message today. Because when a tragedy happen, most Christians would ask where Jesus is and why. There might be anger, bitterness and all kinds of negative feeling.
Prepare for that because we can't get away from tragedy, that's life! What we can get away from is the fault to think of Jesus is not there with us! That's real tragedy! Are you ready for that so that you can get through with any tragedy because Jesus is with you day after day?
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to experience your daily abiding love and presence that we can get through with anything because of you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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Chinese praise song - 我的心你要稱頌耶和華 Praise the Lord, O My Soul
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