Luke 9:7-9
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 9:7-9 slowly noticing anything that stands out as you read.
We have seen many different reactions to Jesus so far in Luke’s Gospel – fear, jealousy, suspicion, out-and-out rejection, awe, amazement, faith. But when the appointed tetrarch of the minor region of Galilee hears about all that Jesus is doing, he is simply “puzzled.”
Herod Antipas was a second-rate ruler of a backwater territory in Israel who ridded himself of his first wife when he became enamored with his half-brother’s wife instead. This is the same Herod who imprisoned John the Baptist and was fascinated when John confronted him about his sin (Mark 6:19-20). Herod is also the one who had John beheaded and afterward apparently thought he was free to whatever he wanted without a pesky prophet pointing out his deplorable behavior.
But now people are talking and saying that perhaps John is back from the grave, or worse, that the Old Testament prophet Elijah is alive. And either way, Herod knows he’s in for another nuisance.
The choices we make in life will either lead us closer to God or further away. And if we persist in making self-centered choices, we will eventually become more and more desensitized to the image of God echoing inside us. At that point any voices that speak truth to us will sound like an annoyance rather than a lifeline. Sin multiplied makes us numb to all that is good.
Stop to think about this for a while. How do you respond when someone attempts to speak truth to you when you are veering off course? Talk openly with Jesus about this.
Read Luke 9:7-9 again.
The question Herod asks is one that everyone must ask about Jesus at some point, “…who is this man?”
For the remainder of your time in meditation today, go to silence and listen to Jesus for a while. Then consider how you would answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” Write down the answers that come to you and then share them with Jesus.
What might Jesus be prompting you to do today?
How will you respond?
Subscribe here to receive these guided meditations free by email Monday-Friday each week. If you find these meditations helpful, please forward them to a couple of friends.
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.
