Luke 9:51-62 (NRSV)
Read Luke 9:51-62 on biblegateway.com
Verse 51When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Verse 52And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; Verse 53but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. Verse 54When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" Verse 55But he turned and rebuked them. Verse 56Then they went on to another village.
Verse 57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Verse 58And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Verse 59To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Verse 60But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Verse 61Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Verse 62Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
Devotion
“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
How many times have you turned around while driving to “fix” a problem in the back seat? Have you ever ridden with a driver who turned around to talk while they were driving? This is not safe! I remember an incident when my mother drove our family van into a ditch while simultaneously signing a check for the piano teacher and correcting her four boys’ behavior as she drove. It didn’t go particularly well!
Jesus’ warning to those of us who follow him is a call to focused discipleship that joins two other equally strong calls. Can we measure up? Can you drive without looking back? Can you let the dead bury their own? Don’t we also need Jesus to go to the cross for us and try our best to hold on as he goes?
Prayer
Here we are, Jesus, with at least one hand on the wheel. Here we are with hearts of faith that long to follow you and make you smile when you see us. We know we need you to complete what we cannot. Even so, help us discern your real call to focus our whole lives on joining you. Take both our hands, Jesus and fix our eyes on you. Amen.