Luke 11:14-16
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Read Luke 11:14-16 (the first part of a longer story) noticing anything that stands out.
The crowds have just seen Jesus release a man from demonic oppression and restore his ability to speak. But their amazement about this miracle quickly dissipates as they scramble to find explanations for Jesus’ power. The opportunity to experience the very Kingdom of God is available to them if they can just remain open, but as they form hasty ideas about Jesus, their sight is obscured and their minds become closed.
Just as our view of God shapes the way we see ourselves and everything around us, our image of Jesus affects our outlook on life as well. Today, as in the first century, many of us have misguided ideas about who Jesus was and is. And these faulty paradigms can keep us from experiencing Jesus’ power in our lives.
Take a moment to focus on your breathing. As you inhale, picture the presence of Jesus filling your lungs. As you exhale, imagine you are releasing all your preconceived notions about Jesus so you can see him as he really is.
Read Luke 11:14-16 again.
Not only do the people in the crowd reject Jesus’ divinity, some of them go so far as to classify his power as evil. And others, having just witnessed a miracle, begin demanding that he prove himself with another miraculous sign.
Jesus simply doesn’t fit with their view of the world, and they are so rooted in their own skepticism and narrowness of mind that they cannot see what is right in front of them. And as a result, Jesus cannot help them see the world or themselves for what they really are.
Take a moment to consider how you approach Jesus. Do you come with an open mind and eager heart? And when you find yourself disturbed by something Jesus says or does, do you gloss over it, or try to make it fit into your ideas about him?
For the final moments of this time of reflection, meditate on these words from Jesus’ prayer in John’s Gospel:
“…this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” – John 17:3
Then be still and listen to Jesus.
What might Jesus be inviting you to do or do differently today?
What will you do about that?
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The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide ebook can help you learn how to recognize God's voice, how to read and understand the Bible, how to develop deep spiritual friendships, and how to become the person you were meant to be. Use it alone, with a friend or in a small group.
