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Monday, November 14, 2011

Unchained Challenge: Luke 4

Scripture: Luke 4:39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

Observation: Peter’s mother-in-law is sick with a severe fever. Once Jesus comes on the scene, he heals her. Immediately after being healed, she gets up and serves them. She doesn’t take a nap, sit around and chat, or let people wait on her; she serves! Perhaps she is so overwhelmed with gratitude for being made whole that she can’t help but do something for others. She is served by Jesus and that compels her service to others.

Application: I am challenged by this story. First of all, I am challenged to have more compassion for my mother-in-lawJ Seriously, the question that haunts me is, why do I serve? There are lots of mixed reasons for serving people in Jesus’ name. I confess that sometimes I serve because of how it makes me feel about myself, how it makes me look to others, or how it obligates God to “bless me.” Today, my motivation to serve God will be the same as it was for Peter’s mother-in-law. I will remember how God has healed me and that will motivate my service. He has healed me from addiction, past pain, and debilitating insecurity, inferiority, and inadequacy. I will allow his healing love to motivate me to get up and wait on the people around me.   

Prayer: Lord, when I pause to remember and reflect upon the many ways you have healed me, I can’t help but want to serve others so that they too experience your healing power. Today I will serve you not out of obligation but appreciation. Amen.

2 comments:

sarah419 said...

Luke 4:43(The Message) - "Don't you realize that there are yet other villages where I have to tell the Message of God's kingdom, that this is the work God sent me to do?"

Here we see the people asking Jesus to stay, and this is His response to the people. I cannot imagine what it would feel like being there, seeing all the things Jesus was doing, hearing directly from Him, and than watching Him leave.

For me personally this scripture really hit me. It is so interesting how the Lord speaks. I struggle a lot going from place to place, yet it is something I am called to do often. It really allowed me to remember I am called to share the gospel around, wherever the Lord calls me. Also that I am not alone in this, and even though I dislike moving often, because I fall in love with people where I am at, that it does not mean it is not necessary, or a call from the Lord.

Lord I just pray that you would strengthen my discernment when you are leading me to move. Father I desire to follow You wherever You lead. Give me the strength and the peace to move on to where, and to move on when You call!

Lenny Luchetti said...

Thanks Sarah. You remind us that the call to ministry is a call to lay aside our choosing where to go.