31 Days of Devotion, Day 16 by Luke Roberts

Daily Reading: Luke 4:16-30

In Luke 4:16-30, Jesus is visiting his hometown, Nazareth, and goes into the Synagogue on the Sabbath. He began to read from the scroll of Isaiah, and people were mesmerized by how powerful his words were. The people's amazement at his speaking quickly became rejection toward him as he claimed he was the Messiah. However, this was the fulfillment of God’s plan. They weren’t willing to accept that the son of Joseph, whom they had known his entire life, was the son of God. They went as far as to try and throw him off a cliff.

In these verses, we can be reminded of the challenges that we may encounter when sharing the word of God with those who are close to us. Similarly to how Jesus was rejected in his own hometown, we might have to endure doubt and rejection from those around us.

Even in the face of adversity, Jesus still continued to spread the word, knowing his purpose was to spread salvation to the world and let everyone know of the good news. We can use this in our daily lives as inspiration to persevere when we are faced with opposition. In our lives, we have to be firm in knowing that God’s call for us isn’t determined by the opinions of others. We are called to follow him faithfully, spread the good news, and be a light to the world around us through our labor of love. So, even when we are faced with opposition, we can firmly believe that God’s plan for our lives is unfolding, and His Spirit gives us the strength needed to carry that plan out.

Daily Prayer

Dear God, thank you for Jesus’ witness to us in a difficult time. Save us from the narrowness that comes when we seek to set limits on your grace. Help us to expand our vision. Amen