Luke 13:1-17; Genesis 23; Psalm 16
The beginning of this Luke passage mentions a tower falling on people and dying, and Jesus reminds the people that these victims were not punished by God because of their wickedness. This disaster was simply an unfortunate event, a natural disaster, and the same is true for today. Storms, earthquakes, faulty equipment, etc., all can cause injury or death, but it is not punishment from God for their wickedness; these things are a part of life. Austin and I were talking that our lives have been so relatively smooth so far. I know that life could soon be brimming with hardships and whether the storm will hit tomorrow or in 30 years, it will come. Only God knows when and how we will struggle in this life. I pray for everyone, that in the darkest days ahead, in the moments when we can’t feel God's presence, in the scariest parts of the night, that our faith would remain and that every word The Lord has breathed into our souls from his Word would be real and life-giving. I hope and pray that we would be strong no matter what circumstances we face and that even in the midst of catastrophe, we would be shining examples of the hope and love that Jesus gives.
The fig tree is a story about how Jesus, because he cares about people, asked the Lord to wait a bit longer before he destroys the wickedness. Jesus wanted to see if he could foster a relationship between humans and himself in order to save us from God’s anger. Thank the Lord for his love.
Love takes work. It will not be easy. It will cost me time, resources, emotions, and more—and yet, according to Jesus, it is worth it all.
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