Meeting God in His Word
- jacarroll71
- Oct 29, 2013
- 2 min read
Today’s reading: Luke 18:18-20:8
My selection: Luke 18:28-30
28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
My reflections: As a young Christian, I was surprised (well, “stunned” would be a better word) by this passage one summer morning while reading my Bible on a rock in a lake in upstate New York. My surroundings that day added to the drama. I had paddled my canoe to that rock, climbed onto it with my Bible, and begun my daily reading. But my heart was weighed down with grief. Over the previous 8 months, I had come to faith in Jesus Christ, but, through obedience to Him, had also walked away from almost all my previous goals and plans. It felt to me like I was very alone with only a rock under me in this world.
I dutifully opened my Bible to read. I came to Luke 18 not by random reading. It was scheduled for that day as I made my way through the Bible, much as we are doing now. God in His goodness knew I needed reassurance, and reassurance He gave me. I totally identified with Peter at that moment who said precisely what I was feeling, “we have left our homes and followed you.” That got my attention.
But then came Jesus’ comforting words, “there is not one who has left [all this] who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Those words jumped off the page at me and my heart soared high above the rock in the lake. I read them again. And again. And again. I memorized them. They became like an anchor to me over the months and years ahead. They have continued to sustain me for the past 48 years. So far they have proven abundantly true. I am sure they will prove true even beyond this life into eternity.
My challenge: Have you seen how God meets you in His Word, bringing comfort and reassurance to your heart and mind? Keep reading. Bring your life, your pain, your confusion, your grief to Him as you read and let Him speak to it through His word. This is what sustains our faith in Him and walk with Him. Never neglect daily Bible reading and prayer.
Tomorrow’s reading: Luke 20:9-22:6
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