Luke 10:21-24

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.

Today’s passage is the end of the story in which Jesus sends out the seventy-two disciples. Recall our last passage, Luke 10:17-20, and then read Luke 10:21-24.

Just prior to this passage, Jesus shared a prophetic vision describing how the disciple’s faithfulness contributed to the ultimate defeat of evil, and he reminded the seventy-two that he is the source of their power. Now he turns to God the Father with overflowing joy and offers a prayer of thanks.

Thanks - for the upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God that stands in direct opposition to the pull of the world. Thanks for the rule and ways of God in which those with child-like faith please God most and are the most blessed because they depend fully on Jesus.

Get quiet and picture yourself standing before Jesus holding in your hands all of your wisdom, education, material possessions, good deeds, and anything else you have accomplished or accumulated. In your imagination, offer these up to Jesus one by one until your hands are empty and open. Notice what Jesus says or does in response.

Read Luke 10:21-24 again.

Another seeming paradox of our faith is that Jesus is the one who reveals God to us, but we are accountable for how we respond to that revelation. If we are open, Jesus gives us the faith to be restored to relationship with God. Without faith we cannot know God and without Jesus we cannot have faith.

We owe everything to Jesus – all our accomplishments and even our relationship with him.

For the last moments of this time of reflection, meditate on Jesus’ words to the disciples and imagine you are among them hearing these words firsthand:

“Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.”

How is Jesus speaking to you today?

What will you do in response?

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.