Jesus was blessing the people with healings and teachings that were amazing. The Pharisees, however, could not see the “God” component but instead asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come.
Why couldn’t they observe it? What kept it hidden from them? Was it their unwillingness to believe? Hardening of the heart can be a fatal medical condition but even more so a fatal spiritual condition.
We watched the intense true story last night, On a Wing and a Prayer. It made me ask, “to what extent will God pursue us until we truly believe His purpose for our lives?”
Although God’s discipline seems harsh in the moment we must keep in mind that He disciplines us for our good. By exercising our faith in the Savior, we will be ready for the revelation of the Son of Man. How then should we live? #God’spurpose
Open my eyes, Lord. I want to see Jesus.
When I focus on self’s accomplishment (aka -for me it is-meeting goals) my eyes are blinded to God’s merciful discipline (aka allowing me to pursue His values- maybe even taking better care of myself). #detour
I can see those things in my journey that I perceived as defeat were actually His discipline, allowing me time to be devoted to God’s purpose. It is not so much a ‘holier than thou’ mentality but moreso a ‘posture of surrender’.
His purpose then re-appears like a majestic mountain, always there and never changing. I failed to see it was there when shrouded by the fog of society’s illusions and my ambition. #beauty
By losing our life, we actually keep it. In other words trust that God’s word (the Bible) is true. When a seed is planted in the ground it dies, the new plant grows and spreads because the seed was willing to give up itself.- Teresa #alltoJesusIsurrender #Noah’sarkwasbuiltinfaith
Luke 17:20-37 (ESV)
The Coming of the Kingdom
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”[c]
22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.[d] 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.”[e] 37 And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse[f] is, there the vultures[g] will gather.”Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Luke 17:12 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
- Luke 17:19 Or has saved you
- Luke 17:21 Or within you, or within your grasp
- Luke 17:24 Some manuscripts omit in his day
- Luke 17:35 Some manuscripts add verse 36: Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left
- Luke 17:37 Greek body
- Luke 17:37 Or eagles
Reconnection 