Category: Daily Prayer

In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Luke 14:33

Jesus teaches us that following Him will be the most important commitment we will ever make. He shows us many examples of what we must be willing to do in order to fulfill this. We are taught that we must be willing to give up material possessions, relationships and be ready to undergo hardship in order to be His disciples.

Jesus doesn’t wish for us to be sad, lonely or hurting, but He knows that giving up the things of this world and following Him is the only way we can receive eternal life. Sometimes letting go of things that make us happy is hard, even if they are things that are not always good for us. Jesus calls us to see that the temporary pain of loss is far outweighed by the joy of being together with Him forever.

Are you ready to give up earthly things to focus on what God has to give you next? The saying “you can’t pick up new gifts unless you drop what you’re already holding” is often true. Drop the baggage that keeps you attached to things that won’t matter in eternity and reach out for the blessings God has waiting for you!

Gracious God, we often miss the things You have to give us because we are preoccupied with our own desires and issues. Help us to see the wonderful future You have planned for us if we give up our own will and follow Yours. Amen.

“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
Luke 14:31

Jesus uses an example of planning on a large scale to teach people the importance of being intentional in our faith lives. He tells us that we must analyze the situation in order to follow Him as if we were preparing for battle – because we are! Jesus wants us to be disciples that know their responsibility and the task they face in the world.

Jesus doesn’t tell us this to scare us off, but He doesn’t want us to go into the fight against evil uninformed. Just as the king in His lesson considers his resources, we must be aware of the gifts and graces we are given and use them judiciously. Confronting the wrongs of the world is not something we do without first determining how to use God’s blessings to deal with them.

Jesus wants us as prepared as possible for what He calls us to do. We must train and study, and then go to use His strength and love to bring the Good News to the world. Jesus tells us it won’t be easy, and we may not know all the answers, but we do know we can trust His promises forever.

Loving Lord, we are grateful to be called for Your work in the world. Help us to use everything You have given us intelligently to accomplish Your plan for us. Amen.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
Luke 14:28-30

Jesus tells us that when we make a major decision we must calculate the cost of our plans. In this case, He speaks to us of the changes (the cost) that our faith and following His path will bring. Jesus is telling us we have to think about our faith.

This is a tough subject! There is a lot we don’t know about what will come, but Jesus says go anyway. While we may not know the specifics, we have His promise that He is always with us. We need to make the decision that whatever comes, faith in Jesus is worth the cost.

While Jesus tells Thomas “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29), He never tells us not to think. We must engage our faith with all the gifts with which God has blessed us, including our intelligence. A theology professor once told my class “Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean turning off your brain!” Think about your faith and the call Jesus makes on your life so you may follow Him fully.

Gracious God, we are thankful for all Your gifts to us. Help us to use them wisely and for the good of all Your children. Amen.

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:25-27

This lesson begins with words from Jesus that are hard to hear. Is He really telling us that in order to follow Him we must hate our families? That’s not exactly what Jesus is saying, but sometimes we need to be shocked into hearing the truth.

Jesus never wants us to hate anyone, and He certainly isn’t advocating that we violate the Commandment to honor our mothers and fathers. He is making the point that in order to follow Him completely we must be willing to cut the ties that anchor us to our former lives. This is the truth about how difficult it may be to follow Christ in our world.

Jesus says we must be willing to carry our cross just as He did, able to bear suffering and humiliation if necessary for the sake of God’s kingdom. He wants us to know what is in store if we say yes to a relationship with Him, and understand the dedication needed to be His disciples.

Loving Lord, we are weak and sometimes afraid of the commitment You ask of us. Strengthen us with Your love and show us that while Your way is not easy, it is worth the cost. Amen.

In this week’s scripture (Luke 14:1-14), Jesus is attending a dinner at the home of a Pharisee. He takes time to reiterate a previous lesson, teach us another, and as always, His behavior serves as a guide for our lives. Let’s look at these one at a time and see how they relate to our faith.

Jesus once again heals someone on the Sabbath. In last week’s lesson He was opposed by a synagogue leader who said this should only be done on the other six days of the week. In this passage, Jesus asks the Pharisees point blank if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, and they are unable to answer Him. Perhaps they are afraid of being embarrassed, perhaps they are thinking about His example, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?”
(Luke 14:5). In the same way, Jesus is saying He came to save us and will bless and heal us every day.

At the dinner itself, He gives a lesson about being humble. He draws their attention to how they seat themselves by rank and position within the community; then explains that by not competing for the best places they can avoid embarrassment and be honored if the host invites them to move to a better seat. He shows us that God will honor those who serve over those who seek glory for themselves.

Jesus also teaches us two very important lessons by His behavior. First, He is at a dinner at the home of a Pharisee, those who often question and outright oppose His teaching. Instead of avoiding His opponents, He engages them in fellowship, taking the opportunity to exchange ideas and teach in a relaxed atmosphere. Second, at the very beginning of the passage, it tells us they were watching Him closely (Luke 14:1). We need to know that the world is watching us as His followers to see if we behave as He did, regardless of the situation. Jesus calls us to be His representatives in the world, even among those with whom we disagree. He said following Him would not be easy, but it is what we must do.

Loving Lord, thank You for Your example and Your teaching that show us the way to follow You. Help us to continue learning Your lessons and sharing Your love with the world. Amen.

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 14:7-14

Jesus finds the most ordinary things to use as examples for us in His lessons. In this parable He points out how our vying for a good position at a dinner party is like our mad scramble for success in life. We often get so wrapped up in what we are doing that we lose sight of why we do it at all.

The quest for honor and position even affected the disciples. In Mark 10:37 we hear James and John ask “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” Jesus replies that the honor is not His to grant, but God’s and gently chides them about their concern for ranking within the kingdom. He tells them all that He came not be served but instead to serve others and if they want to follow Him, they must do the same.

Jesus calls us to serve each other, sharing God’s gifts and His love with all our brothers and sisters, regardless of their position or ours. The concern for who comes before another or who rates higher have no place in the life Jesus promises us. We are all God’s children, and no other title we crave could possibly surpass that!

Gracious God, we are sometimes vain and selfish, looking for our own glory instead of reflecting Yours. Help us to be humble servants, working for the good of all Your children. Amen.

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:12-14

What are you telling us, Lord? We’re not supposed to have a good time with our friends? That’s not really the main point of the story, but Jesus also wants us to see that partying with our friends is not the main point of life.

He uses this to illustrate the call God places on our lives to be loving and giving to those who have no means of “inviting us back”, the last, the least and the lost. While Jesus is with the Pharisees and church leaders at this dinner, He spent a substantial amount of time with the poor and was often criticized because He “ate and drank with sinners” (Matthew 5:30).

Jesus teaches that we should not focus on fellowship with just those who can help us, but with our brothers and sisters who have nothing to offer us in return. Jesus came to be with us and we certainly have nothing to offer Him but our love and faithfulness. He was willing to come to us and sacrifice Himself for us, we must be willing to go to those who need to know His love through us.

Loving Lord, we know You send us to those in need, who hunger and thirst for the Good News. Make us strong in Your love, and let us share the gift You have given with everyone, everywhere, always. Amen.

But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 14:10-11

Jesus isn’t speaking against people who are important or honored in the community, but the way in which people obtain recognition. When we exalt ourselves, there are two issues: it often sounds self-serving, and it may come at the expense of others. The danger is that in seeking the acclaim of others, we may miss the goal to be accomplished.

When we go about our tasks in a humble manner, using God’s gifts for the good of His kingdom, we may be noticed and applauded, even though that is not our aim. Jesus teaches that doing what we are called to do without fanfare is the right way to share God’s love.

Think about the things you do today. Are they for God’s glory or your own? Is what you do merely to be noticed by others or to serve others according to the Great Commandment – love God and your neighbor as yourself? When we act out of love of others rather than love of self, God blesses our efforts.

Gracious God, we are thankful for the gifts You give, and we know they are not for us to keep but to share with and serve our brothers and sisters. Help us to be humble servants that we may be called to “move up to a better place” at Your heavenly banquet. Amen.

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.” Luke 14:7-9

Jesus is attending a dinner at the home of an important Pharisee and begins a parable about how we scramble for position and recognition in the world. He uses the example of guests choosing seats to teach about pride and humility. He warns that if we grab the seat of honor, we may be embarrassed when required to move.

We may not think about “the place of honor” so much in our daily lives, but it is a metaphor for much of the competition we engage in on a regular basis. We challenge each other for promotions at work, the coolest car, the best seats at the big game. Jesus knows our greed can make us do things that are not in our best eternal interest, and warns against foolishly grabbing for things.

He teaches that being humble will prevent the embarrassment that pride often earns us. We need to be aware of our selfish desires and curb them. This parable illustrates how God’s kingdom works, when Jesus taught us “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)

Heavenly Father, teach us to think of others first, not to hoard things for ourselves. Make us generous with what has been given to us, humble and loving to all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” And they had nothing to say. Luke 14:5-6

Jesus again shares a practical example for those watching and listening. He says that if an animal or child needed help on the Sabbath, they would certainly act immediately. Sometimes what Jesus teaches us in His lessons is plain common sense.

Then Jesus connects the farm or family illustration to our brothers and sisters, in this case the man with the illness. He tells us this constitutes a physical and spiritual emergency, similar to the ox or child in the well example. While Jesus isn’t indicating we could cure this man alone, He is admonishing us to be aware of the need and to bring him to God in prayer.

Too often we miss or ignore the needs of others, due to the circumstances or the setting or our own busy lives. Jesus says we must take Sabbath rest, but not as an excuse not to act. We must be on watch, like spiritual emergency personnel, ready to pray for and serve others who desperately need our love and care.

Loving Lord, without You, we can do nothing. In Your name, all things are possible. Help us to see the needs in our world and respond to Your call to share Your love with everyone. Amen.