Luke 21:5-19 (NRSV)
Read Luke 21:5-19 on biblegateway.com
Verse 5When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, Verse 6"As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down." Verse 7They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" Verse 8And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is near!' Do not go after them. Verse 9"When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Verse 10Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; Verse 11there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. Verse 12"But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. Verse 13This will give you an opportunity to testify. Verse 14So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; Verse 15for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. Verse 16You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. Verse 17You will be hated by all because of my name. Verse 18But not a hair of your head will perish. Verse 19By your endurance you will gain your souls.
Devotion
Most of us are bombarded 24/7 with local and global news and information. Thanks to social media and, figuratively speaking, a million broadcasting stations, incoming data is constant. It’s hard to turn off everything that comes at us each day. How do we determine what is real and what is not? What is the truth? How will we know? Because we are inundated with news of many horrible things, including war, earthquakes, famine, wildfires, and persecutions, some people are SURE these are signs of the end times.
It’s easy to be led astray and lose focus. It’s easy to be sucked into the mire of despair. Jesus warns his disciples, and us, don’t take the bait. Unfortunately, these things will, and do, happen. But do not lose hope! Jesus has plans for you that are greater than you can ever imagine. Keep your focus on Jesus and listen to him!
Prayer
Jesus, we are stressed out and our world is a mess. We try to shut out the noise and do what is right, but the pull of uncertainty is real. Help us stay focused on you amidst so many things that don’t make sense. For only you are the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.
Interested in digging deeper into today’s text?
Read more here.