February 17 | Luke 8:19-21

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DAILY READING

Luke 8:19-21

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REFLECTION

The Practice of God's Word

By Dave Mann

How we listen to the Word of God is crucial.  Of course, coming to church to hear the Word of God is important.  We need to expose our hearts to the truth of God’s Word.  However, we also need to listen with the intent of putting it into practice in our lives.  Jesus was so focused on this truth that he even redefined the term “family” to be those who hear God’s Word and put it into practice (v. 21).

Earlier in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a short parable about two builders (Luke 6:46-49).  Those who hear the Word and put it into practice are like the builder who digs deep and constructs his foundation on the rock.  Others hear the Word but leave it at that – no practice, no application.  They are like the foolish builder who goes quick and shallow, building on the sand.  When the storms and the floods come, the result is predictable – one building is washed away, and the other stands firm.  The difference between the two builders is the application, the putting into practice, or not.

At the start of Luke 8, we hear Jesus’ parable of the sower who liberally spreads his seed over all manner of soil – the path, the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the good soil.  In the same way, the Lord graciously shares his Word with the hearts of many predispositions.  But only the hearts who hear the Word and put it into practice yield a good crop (Luke 8:1-15).

Even in the Old Testament, we find very similar words in Ezechiel 33:30-32, where the Lord warns the prophet not to be surprised when only some people hear the message and put it into practice.  One wonders how many of Jesus’ followers had the words of Ezechiel 33 echoing in their minds as Jesus spoke.

More recently, we remember Martin Luther teaching on what disposition we should have when we come to church for worship.  We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.

So, how we listen to God’s Word is critically important.  God earnestly desires that we ask his Spirit to make our “soil” receptive to his Word.  In so doing, we confirm our place in his family of believers, as we put his Word into practice.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, we earnestly ask you to open our spirits to your Word.  We desire for your Word to take over our intents and lead us into the true practice of your Gospel in our lives, 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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February 16 | Luke 8:1-18

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DAILY READING

Luke 8:1-18

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REFLECTION

True Light

By Elaine Pierce

I was an avid reader growing up - one of those kids who begged to 'just let me finish the chapter' before bedtime. And that chapter turned into 'just one more, please.' I even tried to read, not with great success, by shining a flashlight under the covers. I'm pretty sure my parents were onto me - just as I discovered my own children using the same trick. It's hard to read in the dark, isn't it! We need light to see the words on the page. Light makes all the difference.

In today's passage, Luke recounts Jesus teaching the parable of the sower (be sure to read the first 3 verses, too- note that Jesus' disciples included 'women who helped to support them [Jesus and the disciples].' Jesus had a team who traveled with him - he was not a lone ranger.) After he tells this parable, he moves from farming and planting imagery and he talks about light. He makes the obvious point that the purpose of lamps is to light the room, not to keep things in darkness. But of course he is talking about much more than illuminating a room. Verses 17 and 18 are challenging to all of us who want to follow Jesus:

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open . (v. 17).

My childish attempts to hide my nighttime reading under the covers was destined to fail. And our attempts to hide from Jesus, our creator, our savior, our Lord, will never be successful. He knows our inmost thoughts, and he longs for us to come to him, no matter how broken we may feel. He tells us that his burden is light. He gives us rest and refreshment.

Take a look at verse 18:

"Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."

Consider carefully how you listen. Take time this week to ponder Jesus' words. As the psalmist said, Thy word is a light unto my feet and a light unto my path (Psalms 119:105). Turn to the light. Run to the light, the light of the world!

PRAYER

Lord, you are light, you are life, you are true joy and true mercy. So often I think if I hide under the covers you won't see my sin, and I'll get away with it. Forgive my childish ways, Lord, and help me to listen carefully to your still small voice. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ELAINE PIERCE

It is a delight and joy to write Sunday's UALC Blog post. I have been a UALC member for 20+ years and I value our community of believers. I draw strength from God's Word, and it is my hope that you join me in seeking to grow closer to Him as we read, study, and pray together. I've been married to Gene for 47 years, and we have four grown children and nine grandchildren. It is an exciting time to be alive, and I count it all joy to serve him, even in the midst of challenges. To God be the glory, for the great things he is doing!

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February 15 | Matthew 26:6-13

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DAILY READING

Matthew 26:6-13

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REFLECTION

The Importance of Worship

by Ken Dillman

In our text for today, Jesus is with his disciples and is rapidly moving toward crucifixion; his years of ministry and discipleship are completed, only Passover and the final sacrifice is yet to come.

The group stops in Bethany, at the house of Simon, the likely home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, the same Mary we read of in Luke 10 who sits at Jesus’ feet to learn, while her sister, Martha busies herself with many things.

Mary must’ve have seen something in Jesus that she had never seen in another man; she understood Jesus to be the Messiah who was worth dedicating her life to and worshiping.

During Jesus and the disciples’ visit, Mary (John 12:3) opens an expensive flask of ointment worth a years’ wages and anoints Jesus with it by pouring it over his head in extravagant worship, it was her expression of her love for Jesus; however he framed it as something much more, he received it as an anointing for his burial.

Sometimes, what may come from us as worship, to Jesus it may be much more. Surprisingly, Judas was angry with Mary, accusing her of WASTING the ointment that could have been sold for a great amount and given to help the poor. Jesus chastises the disciples, specifically Judas against their cruel accusations, and blesses Mary for her actions.

Our worship of Jesus is never wasted. We may find ourselves worshiping in the privacy of our own home in our own way, singing praises in the shower, walking through a wood as we acknowledge our Creator, raising our hands in a church service during musical worship, or singing with joyful noise (Ps. 95:1) and the Lord receives it all as something special to him.

David wrote in Psalm 22:3 “O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (KJV) The definition of “inhabitest” means to “sit down” in the original Hebrew. As we worship, in whatever form, God enters into our worship with us; perhaps this is why Jesus was so disturbed by Judas’ condemnation of Mary.

Do we stop to consider that worship was so important to Satan, that he was willing to give Jesus anything in the world to receive worship from him; Satan desired the smallest genuflect. (Matt. 4:8-10)

Let us never entertain the thought that any of our worship is wasted, regardless of how small or insignificant we may think it.

PRAYER

Jesus, help us to never forget to worship you in spirit and in truth. Thank you for always appreciating our act of worship and bless us for the effort. Amen.

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My wife, Karen and I have been attending UALC for 6-7 years and enjoy God's presence in our gatherings. We live in Hilliard; our three adult children live in Central Ohio. I am a retired Chaplain and Pastor, and enjoy writing, walking, jogging, and listening to live music. I appreciate the opportunity to write for the church’s devotionals.