Devotions 1-10-08 (Lu 9::51-56)

Luke 9:51-56 Let me try to summarize this passage rather than copy all of these verses.

Jesus and his followers were headed for Jerusalem and it was getting late so he sent a few ahead of them to the next village to get acomodations for the evening before continuing on to Jerusalem the next day. There was no one in the village who would acomodate them because it was a Smaritan village and they would not put up anyone for the night who was going to Jerusalem. There was a great hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans. This made James and John very mad and they wanted to call down fire on that village but Jesus rebuked them and said " You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."

What is my attitude when non-believers block my way and prevent me from serving the Lord the way I want. Do I get angry and want to do something that would show them that they are fighting God in their response. Or will I lovingly acccept their rejection and find another alternative to the situation. That is what Jesus did. He said let us go to another village. James and John had lost sight of what they were there to do. It was not to teach others how to act but to seek and save those who were lost.

I see often in my fellow believers the frustration of dealing with unbelievers who do not cooperate with them in what they are trying to do in seeking to serve the Lord. I am sure I have done that as well some time. I must not get angry at them in their blindness but seek to find another way. Let my gracious attitude be an example of Christ in me.

Lord, help me to respond to resistance from unbelievers in a gracious manner. I know You are soverign and You can change their hearts or lead me to alternatives that would be even better. I must not lose my focus on what I am here to do on earth as a child of God and His grace. These past few days have been really interesting what Jesus is teaching His disciples from these passages in Luke 9. I want to summarize all these lessons after I finish the next one that I will do tomorrow. The important issue is will I learn from what Jesus is teaching and apply these truth to my life. Lord I want to be more like You!!!