PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 13:53-58
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 13:58)
The people from his hometown could sense the wisdom of what he said.
They also saw the powerful way he dealt with sickness and suffering.
But they just could not get past his ordinariness, that he was just one of them.
Something great could not come from Nazareth, so obviously Jesus was not great.
For me the wisdom of Jesus is what convinces me of his greatness.
And when that wisdom is embraced and followed, I’ve seen lives miraculously changed.
Granted, I’ve also seen christians, churches and christianity be less than great.
But my faith needs to be in Jesus, not in his followers; be amazed by him!
I have to admit my lack of faith in him, and my not seeing his miraculous powers.
I have struggled to see the miracle of Jesus actually happening in my ‘hometown’.
By ‘hometown’ I mean church as I’ve experienced it, what I call churchianity.
I’ve reached a point where I don’t believe anything great can come from the church.
My problem is not my lack of faith in church; it is lack of faith in Jesus.
Trust Jesus, he can even do amazing things in my ‘hometown’!
PRAYER
Lord, forgive me for letting my experience of ‘hometown’ keep me from trusting in your wisdom and power. Help me to see the amazing things you are doing!
Unbelief hinders the work of the Lord in me and through me. Unbelief brings complaining and despair. Once the leaders were amazed at Jesus’ teachings and here in His home town, unbelief. All kinds of excuses. Unbelief leads us to depend on our own devices. Yet we are told to seek first His kingdom. We are not here for ourselves but for the Lord. He will supply all our needs. Not our wants. Happiness is serving Him. May I continue to grow in His presence being an instrument of His peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
“Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” Being connected to Jesus. That is my source of strength and hope. It makes a difference – maybe I don’t realize it, but others will take note that a follower of Jesus is different! It may not be dramatic like Jesus – but the presence of Jesus in the life of a believer makes a difference if we are obedient in following him. That’s where the crunch comes. Sometimes I try harder to just fit in – especially when I should be different. Lord, help me to be bold but at the same time genuine as I relate to others – to make a presence in keeping with whom you are shaping me to be!