Luke 17:1-19:27

I love this time of year–the home stretch. I have three more races planned this year, along with a training schedule to help me stay conditioned. And with a next year planner in hand, I am thinking of how I will steward the time, things I want to work on, and the way I want to show up in my communities and relationships. A word on passion reaches back to Latin roots (patior) and defines it this way: to suffer. A prompt asks: what are you willing to sacrifice/suffer (for your goal/life category)?

When it comes to my health–am I willing to sacrifice comfort and online scrolling for activity and engagement? Am I willing to give up my daily chocolate for a better protein choice? Or in my relationships–am I willing to say no to some activities in order to make time for the relationships I’ve said really matter?

When the rich young man approaches Jesus to ask what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus responds:

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”

²¹ “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:1825, NIV

I thought about sacrifice. For me to give up comfort to gain strength and endurance really isn’t a sacrifice because there is a better gain. To give up a sabotaging food choice or habit in place of a healthier one wasn’t the loss I was making it out to be, it was gain toward what I truly wanted. And when Jesus tells the man he lacks one thing, he’s pointing to a way this man can gain–to give up what he was holding onto and he would get a treasure in heaven. It had me think about what things, routines, and beliefs I hold onto that I’m not willing to sacrifice. But when I hold onto those things, am I actually giving up (sacrificing) what is better in the long run for a present (or temporal) satisfaction? And am I holding onto things that prevent me from following Jesus with a whole heart?

Lord, I need your word. Just time in these Scriptures today has been the refocus I needed. And not just about sacrifice (and gain) but about forgiveness and repentance, stewardship, persistence. I am so thankful for this time with you.

Courtney (66books365)

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Job 18-20; Psalm 141; Revelation 15

Growing up in a dysfunctional home does not make me an expert as to what love looks like. Through trial and error, and many more errors, I began my journey to being relatively healthy except when it comes to conflict with those I would call my superiors in the workplace. They have not modelled love very well and to this day I still struggle with what that looks like. For those I lead, I try to be the one who loves through conflict. From the testimonies I have collected, I would say I am doing a fairly good job. In marriage I have not had that much success when it comes to speaking the truth in love. In my relationship with God, I have excelled. We have loved each other with a major intensity. He has called me out on many issues and has demanded a more closer walk with Him.

Let the righteous one strike me—
it is an act of faithful love;
let him rebuke me—
it is oil for my head;
let me^[a] not refuse it.
Even now my prayer is against
the evil acts of the wicked. – Psalm 141:5 HCSB

King David learned to love rebuke too. Somehow, when God rebukes, He does not shame, He causes me to sing.

They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb:

Great and awe-inspiring are Your works,
Lord God, the Almighty;
righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the Nations. – Revelation 15:2-3 HCSB

The principle I learn is this – there is a perfect harmony in the retributive acts of God in dealing with this world and the highest conception of His love and mercy which the gospel brings. God’s dealings with me are meant to manifest His character that I may know and love Him. The motive is His own love, the end is the glory of His Name, in the love and knowledge of those like me whose life and blessedness depend on my knowing and loving Him.

God’s demand for my supreme love – is it just? That would depend on two things:

• Whether I have the power of loving any one supremely
• Whether God has attributes adapted to awaken this love within me

I think it is found in everyone to love some object supremely. My choice is quite easily understood then – I make a choice to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.

Father, thank you for calling my name in the darkest moments of my life. I am so thankful that You allowed me to hear Your voice. Every time You spoke You imparted Your love in an incredibly meaningful way. Your love mattered more than life itself. Thank You.