- And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:5 – There were many reasons that Simon Peter could have given as to why he wouldn’t obey what Jesus was telling him to do. Peter was exhausted after a long night of unsuccessful fishing. Peter knew that this area of water was empty of fish for he had tried to catch here all that previous night. This was Peter’s boat, and some random teacher is telling him what to do. Peter didn’t even know this Jesus giving him directions to be followed. Solid reasons Peter could have used to refuse to obey what Jesus was telling him to do, but despite his many reasons to not obey, Peter obeyed. You too may have your list of reasons why not to obey Jesus. Maybe things have happened in your life that you know Jesus could have prevented. Maybe prayers weren’t answered like you asked them to be. Maybe all you know about Jesus is just what others have said but you don’t know Him at all for yourself. Solid reasons for sure to not obey what Jesus says, but like Peter, you can still obey even with those reasons. You can still faithfully obey Jesus in what He calls you to do even if you believe you have solid reasons to not obey. Obedience is a choice given to you today. You can refuse to obey, but know a disobedience to the Lord results in a missing out of the wonders that follow obedience. My encouragement to you is choose to obey regardless of the reasons you have not to. My hope is God will speak into your reasons to not obey to help you gain clarity on why He moved like He did, but we still may not get that. God though is worthy to be obeyed even if we don’t fully understand. Obey His word and find the blessing that comes from such a choice. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3534
- And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Luke 5:30 – Don’t listen to the “Pharisees” at church. They may have been in church their whole life, they may seems to know the ins and outs of the Bible, they may even seem to have never sinned since birth, but they don’t have a clue as to what the heart of Jesus really is about. Jesus is about forgiveness, love, and restoration. He is about us turning from a life that’s going against Him to walking with Him. Know there will be people that will come against you and try to shred your faithful walk with God, and unfortunately, many times it will be people even in your own church that do the tearing. Just remember church is a place where broken people find healing and everyone, even those who seems to have it all together and use their words to hurt people, need healing too. Walking with God is never without hurdles, but it’s all worth it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 610
- And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’ Luke 5:39 – I’ll upfront say there is a few ways this verse that is only found in Luke’s gospel account is understood by commentators, but I’ll do my best to explain what I believe is being said. Jesus just finished speaking with the religious teachers of the day sharing with them how His new gospel message wasn’t going to fit into their old, ridged, rabbinic traditions they held to so tightly. Jesus wasn’t speaking of the Old Testament law which was holy and good for He and His message fulfilled that law, but Jesus was speaking of laws the religious teachers of the day instituted and the strict adherence to such laws. In verse 39 Jesus expresses how difficult it will be for those used to the “old wine,” the traditions and strictness, to embrace the gospel Jesus was sharing. As we lean then into Good Friday today, understand there is a new wine of a gospel that has been poured into our story because of what Jesus did on the cross. A message of freedom from shame and guilt and a covering of all our wrongs. While we may not be holding fast to the rabbinic laws like those in Luke 5, we can hold fast to our own “old wines.” We can choose to see ourselves in ways we always have, yet those ways conflict with the words of Jesus. We can continue to believe we are in ultimate control of our life even when that conflicts with the words of Jesus. We can cherish our old ways and dismiss the words of the gospel of Jesus. For myself, I pray that my attachments to the old ways of my life are nailed to the cross. I want to desire the new the Jesus is offering. Are you today content with the old wine of your life or are you embracing the new wine that comes with a life following Jesus? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2322
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