Luke 12:35-40
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.
In today’s passage, Jesus expands on his instructions about focus. Read Luke 12:35-40 noting anything that stands out or any questions that arise as you read.
In this teachable moment with his disciples, Jesus has been addressing the perils of an unhealthy focus on possessions and basic needs rather than a focus on God and God’s Kingdom. Now he calls his followers to a continuous lifestyle that will yield unimaginable benefits.
In Jesus’ first illustration the watchful servants wait expectantly for the Master to return. In his second illustration a burglar breaks in without any warning. Simply put, Jesus is instructing his followers to be alert and expectant so that they are never caught unaware of God’s presence.
Take a moment to assess how alert you are to the presence of God in and around you most days - it might be helpful to rate your awareness on a scale of 1-5. Share this with Jesus and talk to him about your desire or lack of desire to become more consistently aware.
Read Luke 12:35-40 again.
The Master in this passage is returning from a wedding feast either as a guest or perhaps even as the groom. Either way he has enjoyed the pleasures of a significant celebration. When he returns and finds his servants waiting expectantly, he does something unheard of – he puts on an apron and shares his joy by serving the faithful servants.
God desires to share the good gifts of the Kingdom with us, and every day the blessings of God are all around us if we are looking for them. They may be small and easy to miss, or they may be different than we expect, but the blessings of God are there for us if we alert.
If we believe that God is good and that God cares for us, and we strive to cultivate an awareness of God’s continuous presence with us, God will serve up a banquet of blessing for us. This is the promise of Jesus!
For the remainder of this time of reflection, consider how you feel about God serving you. Consider asking the Holy Spirit to increase your awareness of God and the good gifts of God that are all around you daily.
Then get still and listen for a while.
What might Jesus be inviting you to do or do differently today?
What will you do about that?
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