Today’s scripture: Luke 9:37-45 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Angie Eden):
Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things?”
If you could have any super power, what would it be? Strength? Flying? Invisibility? Thanks to human imagination and comic book creators, the choices are endless. Box office receipts and merchandising aisles all prove that we are fascinated with super powers and the cast of characters who embody them. I still get choked up when I visualize the last scene in Superman 2, where Christopher Reeve flies the American flag back to its place atop the White House and promises, “Don’t worry, Mr. President. I’ll never let you down again.” If only we had such a hero.
Confession: reading about all these miracles Christ performed leaves me feeling, well, jealous. Not jealous of him, jealous of the benefactors and the witnesses. I want to see it! I want to believe the impossible is possible! I want to know lives are transforming before my eyes!
In today’s scripture, Jesus is asked to heal yet again. But what fascinates me is not his physical response, for he does, indeed, heal this boy, but his verbal response. When told of the disciples’ failure, Jesus releases a little frustration. He basically admonishes ALL of us for our lack of faith. To me, this suggests that if only we had enough faith, we, too, could channel the power and energy of God and do wonders in God’s name.
What if we were to attain the level of faith that Jesus showed? What if someone near us could physically sense the energy and love of God radiating from our soul?
Thought for the Day: For today, give God thanks for the capacity within us to perform “super” acts of love. Seize the opportunity to be a “hero” to someone in need. Heed Christ’s frustration and commit to growing your faith and focusing your life on him.
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.