February 26 | Luke 9:7-9

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DAILY READING

Luke 9:7-9

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REFLECTION

Oh, Herod...

By Beth Voltmann

News had reached King Herod’s ears. Some man named Jesus had given his disciples power and authority and they were traipsing about the Judean countryside driving out demons, curing diseases, healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:1-2).

But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?”

And he tried to see him.

(Luke 9:9)

How did he hear? Joanna, the wife of Herod’s household manager, Chuza, traveled with Jesus. Perhaps that’s how Herod learned. Scripture says the news perplexed him and he became

convinced that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. (Luke 9:7, Mark 6:16,

Matthew 14:1-2)   

Consider Luke’s account of two rulers, both given authority by the Roman government:

1.     the Roman centurion, a military man in charge of 80 infantry soldiers (Luke 7)

2.     Herod the Tetrarch, a Jewish king appointed to oversee the region of Judea (Luke 9)

Both men wielded power. Both had heard of Jesus. Both longed to see Jesus but with differing motivations. One ruler was compelled to believe and trust in the power of Jesus – the other was threatened by the same.

Moved by love for his servant and hope in Jesus, the Roman centurion realized that he was not worthy to receive Jesus, and in faith, asked him to just “say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Jesus was amazed and responded, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” (Luke 7:7-9)

By contrast, Herod was motivated by other factors. He certainly was not feeling drawn by faith. The Pharisees reported to Jesus, “Herod wants to kill you.” And Jesus responded, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’” (Luke 13:31-32)

Two rulers. Two responses.

One bending a knee to Christ’s power and authority and responding in faith.

The other clinging to power and hardening his heart to the Son of God.

“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”

(Matthew 13:15)

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you are the Savior of the World - the Way, the Truth and the Life. May this good news be proclaimed throughout the earth. We pray that many ears would hear, hearts would believe, and lives would be changed! Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BETH VOLTMANN

After moving to Ohio in 1997 with my husband and four children, I developed a hunger for God’s Word through adult teaching and women’s Bible study at UALC. My passion is to help others understand Scripture so that they may grow in their desire for more of God and experience the new life offered to us through Christ Jesus.

February 25 | Luke 9:1-6*

*To get the full picture of today's reading, you might want to read Luke 9:1-16

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DAILY READING

Luke 9:1-6

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REFLECTION

Set Out

By Pam Mann

What a day this must have been for these twelve disciples! How many people had they seen Jesus heal up to this point? Think of the folks set free from demons, cured of various diseases, and given new hope through Jesus. Now Jesus has empowered these twelve regular guys to drive out demons, to heal the sick, and to proclaim the kingdom of God! Just as they have seen Jesus do!

No wonder that they didn’t whine when he said: “No staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.” Such a lack of provisions was likely not normal traveling practice in the first century, but this was no normal trip. This mission was God-powered, God-authorized kingdom business.

What’s a little grime on your only shirt or a little rumbling in your tummy compared to seeing the sick healed and evil defeated? If Jesus had sent you out like the Twelve, would you have cared if you had to sleep under the stars and didn’t know when or where you would get your next meal? Who would care about such minor inconveniences when the lame walk, the blind see, and the good news is preached?

Jesus forewarns the disciples of possible disinterest in some towns and explains how to deal with it. Then, they set out.

Aren’t you in awe of the obedience and determination of these disciples to proclaim the good news and heal people everywhere? Perhaps their lack of provisions helps keep them focused on God’s direction each step of the way. God equips them to preach and to heal as well as providing them with food and shelter.

What does this mean for us, the modern disciples.

Do we only attempt kingdom work which we can accomplish through our own resources? What would it look like if we could trust, like the original twelve disciples did, in God’s future provision? Where is God calling us to go? What is He asking us to attempt that we cannot do ourselves? What is the kingdom work which God wants to accomplish through us today? Who will we meet today who needs the good news, who needs healing, who needs to be set free from evil? Let us be ready to share the good news!

PRAYER

Thank you, Lord, for the example of your first disciples. We confess our timidity in comparison. Teach us to walk in step with Your Spirit, obedient to Your call on our lives today. Show us the people who need You. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAM MANN

I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.

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February 24 | Luke 8:40-56

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DAILY READING

Luke 8:40-56 

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REFLECTION

Faith in the Ultimate Healer

By Dave Mann

Who was Jairus?  A synagogue leader, a religious leader.  No, religious leaders are not insulated from medical problems for themselves or their families.  Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter was dying at the start of the story but then died during the story.

Jesus’ journey to care for Jairus’s crisis was interrupted by the woman who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years.  Being unclean and then cleansed again was a common experience for all Jews.  Touching a dead animal, participating in a military conflict, slaughtering an animal, monthly menstruation, giving birth, assisting in a birth, etc. -- all these experiences brought about a state of uncleanness, requiring spiritual cleansing.  It was a known rhythm of life for a Jew.  Yet this woman had been in a state of uncleanness for 12 long years –- separated from family and friends continually year after year.

Jairus’ daughter was born at approximately the same time as the woman’s bleeding had started.  Joy was in Jairus’s house for the birth, but the atmosphere turned sad 12 years later when the daughter fell subject to a terminal disease.  Around this same time, the woman, after a 12-year battle, was all worn out by her long struggle.  The families and friends of this child and this woman knew what it was like to reach the limits of human knowledge and ingenuity. 

Though the scope of medical skill in the 21st century is much more developed than in the 1st century, there is still a disappointing reality of human limits.  People today still know how the hopefulness of a new birth and all the possibilities for that newborn dance in our imaginations. We know how optimism can be turned into sorrow by a serious childhood disease.

People today still experience the fatigue of managing a long-term disease in adulthood.  We get worn out by the challenges of endless medical appointments.  We want our doctors to have the cure, yet we are presented with one more referral, and yet another and another until we nearly give up hope.

Both Jairus and the woman had one remaining hope – the person of Jesus.  Jairus made the effort to seek out Jesus when his daughter was dying.  The woman slipped through the crowd to touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak.  May we have faith like these two to reach out to Jesus in our time of need.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we thank you for modern medical knowledge, and yet we know that there will always be limits on human ability to cure our illnesses.  We look to you for our full and ultimate healing.  Come and show us the power of your kingdom, until that Day when there will be no more sickness or death.  We look forward to the consummation of your kingdom in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVE MANN

I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of six. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.

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