Luke 11:23-26
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.
As we continue listening to Jesus’ response to the blindness of the people in the crowd, read Luke 11:23-26 noticing anything that stands out as you read.
There is no neutral posture when it comes to following Jesus. We are either moving toward him or away from him with every choice, every action, every breath. For those who have committed their lives to him in faith, it is the power of his Holy Spirit that keeps us from begin pulled permanently back into the quicksand of evil, but we still have agency to choose awareness and dependence.
Take a moment to still yourself and become aware of the presence of Jesus with you now. Breathe in the name of Jesus and breathe out any stray thoughts or tension you are holding. Just sit in Jesus’ presence for a while.
Read Luke 11:23-26 again.
When we yield our destructive behaviors, habits, and attitudes to Jesus, he sweeps the house clean for us. But for our interior lives to stay “in order,” we need to replace those destructive forces with practices that keep us aware of Jesus’ presence and power. We won’t accidently drift into a Jesus-centered life – the pull of evil will prove irresistible if we aren’t purposeful about our dependency on Jesus.
This is another paradox of faith: we are completely helpless to keep ourselves free from evil and its consequences, but our choices and actions will either increase our dependence on the one who can free us, or they will make us more vulnerable to evil. The reverse is also true. We are powerless in and of ourselves to be transformed into the people God means us to be, but our choices and actions open us up to the life-transforming power of Jesus.
For the last minutes of this time of reflection, meditate on these words from Psalm 139 and ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and mind and point out any actions, choices, or attitudes that you need to yield to Jesus today.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” - Psalm 139:23-24
Is there something Jesus is asking you to do or do differently today?
Will you?
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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.
