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
We recently brought home a rescue dog we named CeCe. The first night in our home CeCe slept at the foot of our bed and experienced our unconditional love. But the next night he was startled outside our home and broke loose from his leash to disappear into the night. As we searched for CeCe he rejected us a number of times, yet we kept looking for him. Then one night we heard some noise in the hallway and CeCe had pushed our door open and was eating the food we had placed there. I quickly shut the door and CeCe was home to experience our love again.
Jesus’ unconditional love for us is shown by Jesus here at the beginning of Luke’s travel narrative. On his way to Jerusalem, he sought out many different people and was rejected. Yet, he did not reject them.
We also at times have run from that unconditional love of Jesus, only to return and find it again and again.
Prayer
Good and gracious God, lead us daily back to your unconditional love in Jesus Christ. As we follow Jesus on the way of disciples, may we know that you still reach out to us in your extravagant love even when we run away. Amen.
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