Daily Reading: Luke 17
Scripture Focus: Pay attention to yourselves! (Luke 17.3)
Devotional Thought: Sometimes I meet people who take themselves too seriously. I just want to tell them, "Lighten up!" Other times I want to say to people, "Do you hear what you're saying?" In short, we need to pay attention to ourselves and live life in balance.
Jesus, in Luke 17, reminds us that we need to pay attention to ourselves. One author entitled this section Spiritual Inventory (Childers, BBC, 571). Pay attention to...
Your motives (vv. 1-2). We should be motivated by spiritual concerns, the condition of our souls and the souls of others. In another place Jesus asked, "What can a man give in exchange for his soul?" There is nothing more important than our spiritual condition. There is nothing longer in duration than eternity. Let us give first and best attention to things of the spirit.
Your spirit (vv. 3-4). Speaking of our spirits, we should, like Jesus, have a spirit of forgiveness. You may not have it in yourself right now. Don't despair. That's why we need to give it our attention! Ask Jesus to put his forgiving Spirit in you!
Your faith (vv. 5-6). We should do things to develop and express our faith. There is much we won't do if we don't do it in faith. But with faith there is even more we can do!
Your service (vv. 7-10). Are we consumers or servants? Do we seek ways for the church to serve us or for us to serve others in the church? Do we come to Jesus because he is worthy or for hopes of something in return? Let us serve him with an undivided spirit. All for Jesus!
Prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. See if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.
Psalm of the Day: 1 O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! 2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! 3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! 5 Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. 6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. 7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. 8 But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. (Psalms 141:1-10)
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