Thursday, April 2, 2020
About My
Father’s Business:
A Lenten Devotional Guide
After He had said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to
Jerusalem.
Luke 19:28 NASB
This is not a
new thought to us. Several years ago I used it as the theme for the entire
Easter Devotional, noting a time in the last days of his ministry when Jesus
literally seemed to turn toward the city and his ultimate death.
I didn’t
notice until this year, however, that Luke makes reference to his movement
toward Jerusalem in rather ominous tones early in his gospel. In Luke 9:51, we
read, “Now it came to pass, when the time
had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to
Jerusalem.” And immediately following in verse 53, “But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey
to Jerusalem.” The reference is to the Samaritans who refused him
admittance to their village. This made the disciples so angry that they were
prepared to call fire down on the village and destroy it.
They refused
him because he was going there (to Jerusalem). Up to this point, there had been
rumblings that certain ones wanted to get rid of Jesus. If you read carefully,
you’ll find places where we are told that the Pharisees, “began to look for
ways,” to get rid of him. Perhaps these people in Samaria were trying to avoid
trouble by refusing him access. After all he had done, our weary Lord had no
place to lay his head!
Are there
places that we do not welcome him? At parties we’d rather he didn’t attend? Do
we not invite him into conversations with certain friends? When we are
balancing our checkbooks, would we rather he didn’t see what the balance is,
lest he expect us to share? His face is set toward redemption. Do we welcome
him?
Father, We open our home, hearts, and
lives. Come in. Amen
About My Father’s Business:
A
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for First United Methodist Church
of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2010
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
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