Today’s scripture: Luke 21:34-38 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Vivian Wyatt):
I enjoy watching the M. Night Shyamalan movie Signs with Mel Gibson. It is one of the few movies that I can watch over and over again. The story focuses on a former Episcopal priest named Graham Hess (played by Gibson) who discovers a series of crop circles in his cornfield. It slowly becomes apparent that the phenomena are the result of extraterrestrial life. This story of an alien invasion is actually a subplot to the story of the “signs” Gibson experiences that help him to reevaluate his faith; the faith that he lost when his wife was accidentally killed. In case the viewers missed that the accident was also a sign, Shyamalan has a couple of characters say “It was as if it were meant to be.” The last scene is of Hess dressing in his priestly garb; the implication being that he understood the signs, regained his faith and is back to being a priest again.
There are signs that can be read every day. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight. If the backs of the leaves on a tree can be seen, there will be a storm. Fat and fuzzy caterpillars or squirrels gathering an abundance of acorns mean a bad winter is coming. Before there were weather forecasters and Doppler radar, farmers and others had to look for indicators, such as these, in order to survive.
In the verses prior to the passage you’re reading today, Jesus speaks of the signs that will point to “that day”: wars, famines, earthquakes, plagues, and great signs from heaven. He speaks of arrests, persecution and signs in the sun, moon, and sea. And he gives a bit of advice: Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
In our passage, Jesus says (my paraphrase), “Pay attention to the signs; don’t be caught unaware!”
There are some signs I would like you to pay attention to: Do people smile when they see you coming or do they seem to move out of your way? Do your family members enjoy coming home or do they find reasons to stay away? Do people do business with you because they know you are honest and trustworthy? Do you esteem others higher than yourself? Are you making a conscious effort to grow closer to God? Are you growing in your spirituality? Do you love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself? I could go on and on, but you get the idea — signs that you are being the best you that you can be.
Prayer for today: Gracious God, let me recognize those signs that point to my missing the mark. Amen
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.