Day 101 Bible Readings – Luke 14: 12-14 (ESV)

Deuteronomy 15, Deuteronomy 16: 1-20, Luke 13: 31-35, Luke 14: 1-14, Psalm 62

Luke 14: 12-14 (ESV)

“He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

I love the message that Jesus gave in verses 12 through 14 from Luke 14. Jesus tells us that we shouldn’t just be friends with people who can do something for us or can repay us. The author of one of my Bible study states that Jesus does not us to limit ourselves to mixing only with people who make us feel easy and comfortable. Jesus invites us to mix with people who are less fortunate than we are and might never be able to repay us for any kindness we do for them. We will be repaid by God when we die.

I served Thanksgiving meals for the homeless one year, and it was an eye-opening experience. Many of the people we served did not smell very good due to lack of bathing and/or from the open sores on their body. It was hard for me not to have feelings of revulsion instead of compassion for these unfortunate folks who lived on the streets. Their smiles of gratitude for having a hot meal made me feel ashamed of my initial reactions to their bodily odors. After about 15 minutes of serving, I didn’t even notice the smells and starting feeling an immense sense of gratitude that the Holy Spirit had inspired me to serve the poor on Thanksgiving. I could see that God was present in all of these people, and I was planting seeds of Christ by my service to these people by just serving them on a hot meal on chilly day.

Day 100 Bible Readings – Psalm 61: 4-5 (ESV)

Deuteronomy 13 & 14, Luke 13: 1-30, Psalm 61

Psalm 61: 4-5 (ESV)

“Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

I like verses 4 and 5 from Psalm 61. In this verses David, the writer of psalm, remembers even in his times of trouble that God had been faithful to him in the past. David asks God to let him dwell in his tabernacle or tent forever, and to let him take refuge under his wings. David remembers that God had heard his prayers in the past and had responded to them. God had even made David a king over the people of Israel. I love how David reminds himself and us of God’s faithfulness to him in our past, and how God has heard our prayers and answered them. Even in times of trouble, we need to remember how God has always been faithful to us so we can give ourselves the assurance that God will not abandon us. We might not always understand God’s plan for our lives, but we need to have faith that God is always working for our good and is caring for us like a good shepherd cares for his sheep.

Day 99 Bible Readings – Luke 12: 51 (ESV)

Deuteronomy 11 & 12, Luke 12: 35-59, Psalm 60: 5-12

Luke 12: 51 (ESV)

“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”

In verse 51 from Luke 12, Jesus clarifies his mission for his disciples and his followers. Jesus promises peace for us in spiritual way and when we die, but he reminds us that division will come because of his ministry. The authors of my Bible study noted that people will have different reactions to Christ’s teachings; some will accept it and other will reject his teachings. The teachings of Christ force us to confront our sinful nature and the values of the world, which leads to a natural division between those who follow Christ and those who do not. In the early history of the Christian church, followers of Christ were persecuted and killed for their faith. The division between followers of Christ and non-followers eventually subside, but it was never really stamped out. In our current time, that division between followers of Christ and non-followers is once again front and center. While the persecution is most of the time not physical, people who believe in Christ are looked down upon in social media. If you profess your Christian faith on social media, you are ridiculed and can be cancelled. Verse 51 reminds us that Jesus knew this division would happen, and it is a part of God’s plan to strengthen our faith and our belief in Christ.

Day 98 Bible Readings – Luke 12: 29-31 (ESV)

Deuteronomy 9 & 10, Luke 12: 1-34, Psalm 60: 1-4

Luke 12: 29-31 (ESV)

“And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

In verses 29 through 31 from Luke 12, Jesus again reminds us to not seek the things of the world or be worried about them. God knows that these things are needed by everyone on earth. Jesus tells us our priority should always be to seek him first, and have trust that God will provide us with the things we need to live on earth. It is such an act of faith to rely completely on God for our needs especially in these uncertain times when there is so much turmoil in the financial markets. But if we dwell in God’s presence with our prayers and by reading his word every day, we will strengthen our trust in God. Our Bible readings will be a constant reminder of God’s faithfulness to his people, and how he has always come through for them. If we dwell in God’s presence daily, we will learn not to worry and to always trust in God’s plan no matter what is happening in our life. We might not always understand God’s plan, but we need to trust that God is always caring like a shepherd cares for his sheep.