Taken For Granted

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Luke 11:29-32

Luke really challenges us to realize and take advantage of the gift we have in our faith!

The Queen of the South came to Solomon, heard his wisdom, and changed her life.

The Ninevites heard the preaching of Jonah and changed their lives.

We hear the preaching of the Son of God Himself – and what do we do?

How have you let the Word of God Himself change you and your life? If there is no change, are you really listening?

Don’t take what you have for granted!

For Journaling….

I have changed because of God’s Word in these ways:…..

I take God’s Word and my faith for granted when I….

I hear God saying to me….

Reluctant….

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”

Full reading Jonah 3:1-10

Poor Jonah. He just doesn’t get it. God asked him to go to Nineveh to preach and Jonah boards a ship in the opposite direction. That doesn’t go well and he ends up being thrown overboard. He spends 3 days in the belly of a big fish and then is spewed out on the shore of Nineveh.

Again God asks him to preach to Nineveh. Jonah is a very reluctant prophet. He really doesn’t want Nineveh to come into God’s good graces – they are enemies of the Israelites. That’s a pretty big pill to swallow…..

So what’s the connection to us? Who are you reluctant to be kind and compassionate towards? From ‘thoughts’ yesterday, who are you reluctant to be merciful towards?

Are you ‘territorial’ about God? “God, please don’t invite so and so to the party – they really don’t deserve to be here….” “You’ve got to be kidding, God – why would you invite them?”

Who are you reluctant to share the Good News of God’s love with?

For Journaling…

I’m reluctant to be merciful, kind, compassionate toward _____ because…..

I wish I could turn around and go the other way when….

I hear God saying to me….

Mercy

Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”

Full reading – Luke 10:25-37

The reading today is the parable of the Good Samaritan. Notice that the answer to the question wasn’t: “the one who took care of the victim” or “the one who stopped to help”. The answer was the one who had MERCY.

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, there is an opportunity for mercy. There is an opportunity to be forgiving, to be compassionate, to be understanding, to be accepting, to be loving toward the person in front of us.

No matter who is in front of us, God invites us to be merciful, in whatever way we can. There are many more wounds than physical ones to be bound up or poured oil on. There are many more ways people are ‘beat up’ than physically. There are many more ways people are hurt than physically.

There are many ways to be merciful than to take physical care of someone. So many people are yearning just to be seen for themselves and not ignored or looked over or avoided. So many people are yearning just to treated with dignity and respect. So many people are yearning just to be listened to and heard. So many people are yearning to be understood, to be accepted for who they are.

So many people are yearning for mercy….

For Journaling…

God invites me to be merciful especially with …

God invites me to be merciful by being…

I hear God saying to me…