Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 22: 14-23

Text: Then the disciples began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would betray Jesus. (v. 23)

I learned a long time ago not to say in a judgmental tone, “I’d never do that!” or “That’s the one thing that I’d avoid!” God, you see, has a deliciously humbling sense of humor that always places me in a position of doing that which I say I wouldn’t do or wish to avoid.

Today’s reading is from Jesus’ “Last Supper” with the disciples. He breaks the bread and lifts the cup before telling the 12 that one of them will betray Him. They begin to ask each other who it is. I can imagine the scene. Can’t you?

The most fascinating thing about this story is that none of the disciples don’t know who it is! In other words, each of them was capable of betrayal! No one were sure of either their faith or their loyalty!

I believe that that is true of us, too. Each one of us can betray Jesus in a thousand little way by the things that we say or think, do or fail to do. We can be very poor reflections of the Master.

When we become so confident of our ability to follow the teachings of Jesus we need to remember to be a little humble–or very humble, for that matter. After all, we have a lot to be humble about!

Lord God, give me a humble heart and a teachable spirit. You are the Creator and I am but the creature. May I always remember that distinction. Amen.

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 21: 29-36

Text: Guard your hearts lest you be weighed down with busy work and worry. (v. 34)

Often someone I am asked if I’ve had a “busy” day. My standard reply is “Yes, but I’m just not sure if it was productive!” Frankly, that statement is truer than I wish to admit. We can become so busy with the “urgent” matters of life that we neglect the truly “important” things.

Jesus cautioned His disciples to learn a lesson from nature. When they saw leaves sprout they knew that summer was near. We recognize the changing of seasons by what is going on around us in nature. How is it that we miscalculate the changing seasons of life?

The Master went on to tell His disciples to “be alert” and to pray for strength so that they could avoid getting sucked into dancing to other people’s tunes or fall into the trap of being unproductive.

I find it helpful to begin the day with a time of prayer, asking for God’s guidance in all of the day’s planning and decisions.  Then I ask myself throughout the day if what I am about to do is the best use of the limited time that God has given to me.  This is not an effective tool, but it does help me recognize life’s traps.

Lord God, throughout today, help me to avoid the water-weight of “busyness” so that I may focus on the truly important things of this life. Amen.

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: James 1: 1-18

Text: If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to you. (v. 5)

On a wall in my office there is a print given to me by my brother-in-law nearly ten years ago. It is entitled “Wise Angel” and on the back of the print he wrote, “To our family’s wise angel”. Of course it touched my heart and found a place on my wall.

Through years of leading bible studies and preparing sermons I have come to the realization that prayer, conscious or unconscious, intentional or unintentional, is at the center of life. And I have learned that there are five prayers which will always be answered. They are prayers for the Holy Spirit, for Courage, for God’s will, for Strength and for Wisdom.

The Epistle of James, which I call “Practical Christianity 101”, begins by encouraging us to pray for Wisdom. Wisdom is not the same thing as knowledge or I.Q. Wisdom looks below the surface of a situation. Wisdom is humble enough to know what we do not know. Wisdom is that sudden seemingly serendipitous insight that Solomon had in the story of the two mothers. (See I Kings 3: 16-28 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Kings+3%3A16-28&version=CEV)

I do not know who will read this Glimpse but I do know this; I pray that whoever reads it will be given the gift of Wisdom.

Lord God, of all the things that we could ask for You to bestow upon us, we ask for wise and discerning hearts. To Your glory forever and ever. Amen.

Devotional Reading from the Daily Common Lectionary: Luke 20: 41-21:4

Text: (Jesus said), “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them” (v.4)

In considering a call to a particular church someone asked me, “If this church didn’t have their building, would they still be a church?” The question behind the question was simple: “Does this congregation worship the edifice more than the Savior?”

The story of the “widow’s mite” in today’s reading is really about misplaced spiritual loyalties. Jesus had just criticized the teachers in the Jerusalem Temple for being in love with their positions of honor and privilege and being keepers of the Temple at the expense of fulfilling their true purpose. They were so in love with the status quo that they willingly and knowingly took advantage of the poorest among them, like the poor widow.

On a different occasion Jesus told His disciples that no one can serve two masters. We can only have one North Star, one guiding principle, one ultimate loyalty. We have to be careful not to confuse our positions or possessions with the One who owns all things and in Whose Hands all positions are ultimately held.

Lord, give me a wise heart and a discerning mind, lest I lose sight of you and the things that are really important in this world. Amen.