On my journey with Jesus I camped in Luke 9 this past week. Jesus is making His way to Jerusalem. It is nearing time for Him to go to the cross. He knows full well what this is going to be. Luke describes it: "When the days drew near for him to be taken up he set his face to go to Jerusalem."
Jesus was determined to accomplish what He had come to do - no matter how difficult. The prophet Isaiah tells us that He set his "face like a flint." 50:7.
Loved one as you look at Jesus, are you filled with that same resolve? To set your face like flint and press on? When trials come do you ask God to take them away? Of course we can ask Our Heavenly Father to take our trials away. We can bring all our prayer requests to Him - He actually knows our desires and requests better than we do. He loves us and He cares deeply.
For some though this is not a request you can ask for. The deed is done - it cannot be reversed. Julius is gone - not even God is going to change this.
What is your Jerusalem my friend? A life of loneliness? Singleness? God has not blessed you with children? A terminal illness that is going to take many medications and constant doctors visits? You know you will never get the dream job that you wanted? Your bank account does not look as healthy as you want it to and you have to live within your means?
As I looked further at this passage I was deeply convicted by what happened next.
As he travelled He graciously sent messengers ahead of Him to make preparations for him. The first village Luke describes, is a village of the Samaritans. And what was their response? "But the people did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem".
A little bit of historical background. The Samaritans and the Jews hated each other. The Jews looked down on the Samaritans and called them "half breeds" as they were descendants of mixed marriages. The Samaritans in turn had developed their own form of worship on Mt Gerizim - they did not want to worship the God of the Jews.
O what blessings they denied themselves when they rejected Jesus from even entering their village. Had they not heard who He was?
I was challenged to look at my own life. What and who are the messengers that Jesus sends daily to my life?
Who is He sending to you loved one? Are you receiving or rejecting Him? The Samaritans rejected Him because He was going to Jerusalem.
Like me are you afraid of where He is headed and of His call to follow Him - which is to take up your cross and take it up daily?
The Samaritans were quite satisfied with their pagan rituals. They were so blinded that when God's only Son was knocking at their doors they said "no."
They had actually said "no" to God Himself.
Dear Reader what is your Mt Gerizim? Your religious rituals that you are satisfied with? It is pretty scary that these can actually keep you away from letting Jesus into your life. He wants a personal relationship with you, dear one. He wants to visit you right in the home of your heart.
Looking further what did Jesus do? He did not retaliate - He even rebuked James and John who wanted to burn the villages in a flash. He did not force his way in. He "went on to another village". vs 56. Oh how very sad for that Samaritan village that day!
Loved one He is calling out to you: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:20
Will you answer "Yes Lord! Come in" today?
Jesus was determined to accomplish what He had come to do - no matter how difficult. The prophet Isaiah tells us that He set his "face like a flint." 50:7.
Loved one as you look at Jesus, are you filled with that same resolve? To set your face like flint and press on? When trials come do you ask God to take them away? Of course we can ask Our Heavenly Father to take our trials away. We can bring all our prayer requests to Him - He actually knows our desires and requests better than we do. He loves us and He cares deeply.
For some though this is not a request you can ask for. The deed is done - it cannot be reversed. Julius is gone - not even God is going to change this.
What is your Jerusalem my friend? A life of loneliness? Singleness? God has not blessed you with children? A terminal illness that is going to take many medications and constant doctors visits? You know you will never get the dream job that you wanted? Your bank account does not look as healthy as you want it to and you have to live within your means?
As I looked further at this passage I was deeply convicted by what happened next.
As he travelled He graciously sent messengers ahead of Him to make preparations for him. The first village Luke describes, is a village of the Samaritans. And what was their response? "But the people did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem".
A little bit of historical background. The Samaritans and the Jews hated each other. The Jews looked down on the Samaritans and called them "half breeds" as they were descendants of mixed marriages. The Samaritans in turn had developed their own form of worship on Mt Gerizim - they did not want to worship the God of the Jews.
O what blessings they denied themselves when they rejected Jesus from even entering their village. Had they not heard who He was?
I was challenged to look at my own life. What and who are the messengers that Jesus sends daily to my life?
Who is He sending to you loved one? Are you receiving or rejecting Him? The Samaritans rejected Him because He was going to Jerusalem.
Like me are you afraid of where He is headed and of His call to follow Him - which is to take up your cross and take it up daily?
The Samaritans were quite satisfied with their pagan rituals. They were so blinded that when God's only Son was knocking at their doors they said "no."
They had actually said "no" to God Himself.
Dear Reader what is your Mt Gerizim? Your religious rituals that you are satisfied with? It is pretty scary that these can actually keep you away from letting Jesus into your life. He wants a personal relationship with you, dear one. He wants to visit you right in the home of your heart.
Looking further what did Jesus do? He did not retaliate - He even rebuked James and John who wanted to burn the villages in a flash. He did not force his way in. He "went on to another village". vs 56. Oh how very sad for that Samaritan village that day!
Loved one He is calling out to you: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:20
Will you answer "Yes Lord! Come in" today?
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