Luke 4:38-41
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 4:38-41 taking note of any thoughts that arise as you read.
Because the people of Capernaum are open to Jesus’ teaching and recognize his authority, they are blessed by a restorative display of his power. And now Jesus begins to heal and restore freely among them. Unlike the Nazarenes, the people of Capernaum continue to see and hear Jesus through faith, and because they believe, they receive both his presence and his power.
Contemplate the words of the Apostle Paul written to the church in Ephesus:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” - Ephesians 2:8
Take some time to think about how belief is both a gift from God and a conscious decision to remain open to Jesus. Talk openly with Jesus about this.
Read Luke 4:38-41 again.
Jesus didn’t heal every single person he met when he walked the earth, but when he encountered faith in either an individual or a group of people, he was quick to respond with restorative power. The people of Capernaum make no demands of Jesus - they humbly beg him to heal and restore.
We can easily reason away the activity of God in our lives, and we can drown out the whisper of the Holy Spirit without much difficulty. And it’s true that it takes some effort on our part to remain attentive and open to Jesus. But we are much more likely to experience the reality of his presence and power in our lives if we are consistently showing up to be with him and purposefully opening up to believe whatever it is he has for us each day.
For the remainder of your time in meditation today, take stock of your own experience of Jesus. Consider whether you may have become too distracted, too cerebral, too demanding, or too cynical to receive what he has for you. Share your thoughts and desires about this with him being as honestly as you can. Be sure to listen as much as you speak.
What might Jesus be inviting you to do or do differently today?
How do you plan to respond?
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