Daily Reading: 7-6-16
Luke 10:8-11,16 New Living Translation (NLT)
Rejection can be difficult to deal with no matter what season of life in which we find ourselves; it’s a painful reality that can be found in relationships because they involve feelings and commitments. We want to belong and feel needed; we want people to listen to our thoughts and ideas about life and the things that are important to us.
Now, think about God for a minute and our conversation about rejection. God desires to get a very important message to humanity about how much He loves us and how He longs to have a relationship with us. All are welcomed to live in His Kingdom of love. He created us so we could all enjoy communion or fellowship with Him and one another. How does God convey His love message? The answer is through creation, Jesus Christ and his followers, and the work of the Spirit. Will we welcome and listen to God’s love message or reject it? It is our choice and we must face the effect of our decision.
In our passage, today, Jesus makes a point about rejecting God’s love message. Having the right priority will help his followers. Jesus sends the disciples out to share the Good News of God’s love and His desire to have a relationship with His human creation. He prepares them by issuing a warning that not everyone will welcome their message about God’s love or the invitation to live in His Kingdom. They are not to take it personally; they are to put it into perspective.
Luke 10:8-11, 16
8 “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. 9 Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ 10 But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’
16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for reaching out to have a relationship with me through Jesus Christ and the work of Your Spirit. I welcome You and the love parameters of Your Kingdom. In Your love I find acceptance and a sense of belonging. Holy Spirit, help me to listen carefully to the Word to my heart so I do not reject the love message. Continue to teach me Your ways and help me to communicate Your heart by translating your love into action and reaching out to love others. If the love message is not accepted, please help me to put things into the right perspective. In Jesus’ name. Amen.