Lent – Not Our Way
Lent – Not Our Way

Lent – Not Our Way

March 9 – Not Our Way

Luke 4:24-30

And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Eli′jah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and Eli′jah was sent to none of them but only to Zar′ephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Eli′sha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Na′aman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away.

These verses come after the people questioned Jesus for reading the passage in Isaiah 61:1-2, then sat down and said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). The people were murmuring and questioning Jesus’ authority. They were also upset because He performed miracles in Capernaum instead of performing them in Nazareth, and He was prophesying that He would have to go to the Gentiles to save them.  They were so upset with Jesus, they rose up to throw Him off the cliff!

Sometimes things are not done the way we would like them to be done. We want things given to us with little effort on our part. We want all of our prayers answered, right now. We just want things to go our way. We also have a tendency to get angry and blame God and we lash out at Him for abandoning us. As we know in our hearts, God’s way is not our way and God has a reason for the things that do happen in our lives. It is for our greater good and when we look back at that time of our lives, we can clearly see God’s hand during that time. Next time something does not go our way, do not throw Jesus off the cliff! The Nazarenes who tried to throw Jesus off the cliff, lost out on the blessing, because instead of staying with them and guiding the along the way, Jesus left them to their own demise.

Lent in Action:

Thank God for the blessings He has given to someone else you may have been upset about getting.

Pray:

My Savior Jesus, I know Your way is not my way. I am often frustrated in seeing the blessings you have given to my friends, yet it seems like You have forgotten me. Help me to see the blessings you have done in my life and guide me along the way. I ask this in Your Name. Amen.

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